Alone In The Shadows
by Ro222
Summary: Percy didn't want to give up. He didn't want Gaea to win. But, as he looked around the cell and thought about the poison flowing through his veins, how his powers had been taken and how that, back at camp, Annabeth didn't even know if he was alive or not, Percy felt his small shred of hope dwindle down to almost nothing.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter One

 **Hi friends!**

 **Oh, where have I been? Writing one shots, mostly. And also reading quite a lot. Can you believe that in a month I spent £72 on books? Hehe, oops.**

 **I'm sorry for not giving you guys a proper story in a while, mainly I've just been doing one shots and in the reviews for Memories Of The Past I actually thought I was going to get murdered, haha.**

 **But I'm back and this story has been in my head for a month or so and I finally decided to get around to doing it, haha. It doesn't mean that I'm going to stop writing one shots though because I really enjoyed it :)**

 **Also I have quite a few projects in the works at the moment. One of which is this fanfic which I hope you all will enjoy and I also had a go at writing a book that is not fanfiction and that was really fun and (maybe) I'll publish it on FictionPress which is going to be scary because it's where all the good and big writers go and... *shivers* and I was hoping to edit Voices In His Mind sometime in the month, too.**

 **Enough about my life. Shut up Ro. Oh, that reminds me.**

 **A lot of you guys have been asking how to pronounce my name (Roselia) so its Ro-Sie-Leah but I prefer Ro, haha.**

 **Hope that clears everything up!**

 **Right, let's get on with the story, shall we?**

 **Love you all!**

 ***Virtual Hugs***

 **Ro x**

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Bolting upright in his bed in Cabin Three, Percy Jackson looked around the dark room, trying to regain his senses as the nightmare slowly subsided. It was quiet, the only sound was the soft lapping of foaming waves against the beach and the soft trickle of water against stone from the small fountain in the corner; the smell of spindrift and sea salt flowing around the cabin. It felt like home. It _was_ his home.

There were very few children of Poseidon (or, at least, demigods) but Percy thought that Poseidon was probably the coolest Godly dad to have. Awesome powers, an awesome cabin, awesome good looks. The list could go on and on and on.

But there was also lots of down sides to being a son of Poseidon. Everyone was dependent on you, that was one of Percy's main hates. Responsibility? People's lives depending on you? No, thank you. There was also the deal of nightmares, one of which Percy had just woken from. And the prophecies... Percy could rant about them for days.

The nightmares came along so often that Percy was used to waking up in the early hours of the morning, panting and wondering where he was and who he was. He actually got a bit worried when he didn't wake from a nightmare.

Apparently some nightmares that demigods had could see the future or they had the tendency to come true. But with all the nightmares that Percy dealt with, he'd probably know his future like the back of his hand so he didn't really believe that there was a lot of truth in that theory. Which he was thankful for because most of his nightmares consisited of his friends dying long and brutal deaths.

A shiver slithered down Percy's spine. He looked around, his eyes catching on the window and the endless darkness outside. It couldn't of been later then four in the morning and he was wide awake now so there was no point in trying to go back to sleep. He wasn't sure if he even could after what he'd just witnissed in his nightmare.

Standing from his bed, Percy stretched and then threw on some clothes because the hero of Olympus walking around in blue pyjama bottoms wasn't classy or acceptable. At least, that was what Annabeth said last time he had done that.

There was a warm, balmy breeze fluttering around camp. Percy might've thought that Camp Half-Blood looked almost peaceful. But he knew what went on behind the closed doors of the cabins. Sure, he loved camp and he wished he could stay year round. But, inside the cabins, people were mourning the deaths of fallen heroes.

Death wasn't an uncommon thing in Camp Half-Blood. Being a demigod meant that you'd have to become a hero, have to put others before yourself and do what's right even if the world is telling you to do what's wrong. But still, none of that meant that death was any easier. No one ever got used to it.

Percy didn't remember his feet moving, nor did he remember picking up a few smooth, flat stones or sitting down on the sand. But there he was. Sat on the beach with five stones that were perfect for skimming across the lake.

As he was about to throw the last one in a perfect, satisfying arc across the moonlit water, something in the forest caught his eye. If he weren't a demigod, Percy would of written it off without a second thought. But he was a demigod and he knew all about the long forgotten truths that were myths.

Nobody went in the forest. Or, if they did, they were either incredibly stupid, were new and had not yet heard the horror stories that were told around campfires or they had a death wish. Monsters and other horrific things that had been carefully carved from nightmares and the deepest, darkest shadows thrived there. Maybe they even all hung out together and ordered pizza whilst seeing who could do the loudest roar, or who had the sharpest claws.

And now he'd lost his train of thought.

Looking back into the forest, Percy made sure that Riptide was in his pocket. Obviously, it was. The blade would always reappear in his pocket. He quickly looked to the lake and then back at camp. Now, it all looked desolate and eerie and not at all comforting. He squinted his eyes as he stared back into the forest, trying to dechiper a form or shadow.

Not daring to breathe too loudly, Percy's breath fogged in front of him. A chill had over come the camp. Was everyone else aware of this? Were they awake and talking about it? Or were they still in their beds, dreaming dreams, reliving memories or suffering nightmares. As bad as it sounded, Percy hoped for the latter. That way, they'd all be safe. Fog wove around the beach and the shadows of the trees stretched across the blanket of pale white sand looking like monsters on the walls of a cave.

Ever so slowly like a bandage being taken off of a wound, Percy stood and uncapped Riptide. The bronze glow illuminated the beach and battled the inky darkness. A flash and then a whooshing sound made goosebumps rise on Percy's bare arms.

Whatever this... this _thing_ was, Percy certainly did not want to come face to face with it in the dark, in the forest, alone. If he encountered it now... whilst he was so vunerable and had no armour on and no one knew of his wherabouts...He gritted his teeth against the pang of fear that shot through him; he was the son of Poseidon, hero of Olympus, he was one of the most powerful demigods to of ever existed and he would not be going down without a fight.

Hopefully he wouldn't, anyways.

With one eye trained on the tall, shadowed thing in the forest and the other looking at the dimly lit Big House a few yards away, Percy calculated his odds. Could he run to the big house and get Chiron or someone to help him fight it off? Or would it be too fast? Or, by doing that, was he just going to lead it straight to his friends and put them in danger?

No. No, Percy would have to stay here and go solo. A thought occurred to him suddenly, if he were to sing, would the shadowed thing run away? A small smile pulled at the corners of Percy's lips, despite the fear and worry churning in his stomach.

 _Focus!_ He screamed at himself. Percy looked back at the shadow, it was still there. Neither Percy nor the dark thing in the woods dared to move, a predator stalking its prey. Though which of the pair of them were the predator and which were the prey, he wasn't too sure.

His breathing came in short, frightened gasps. The glow of Riptide made the shadows of the trees look so much bigger, made the shadowed figure look so much taller and larger. Or did it really look like that?

Suddenly, like glass splintering, slow at first and then faster and faster, the silence broke. There was a stroking voice that spread throughout the forest, seeping into Percy's bones. "You must fall, Perseus Jackson, it is your fate."

The voice was strong and sure, yet it creaked and groaned like an old floor board. And it drew out the sound of the _s_ like a snake. Percy shuddered, hearing it made him feel filthy, like it was a secret he should not be learning. The words replayed in Percy's mind; definitely female.

For a horrifying second, Percy feared that the voice might've belonged to Nyx. It would certainly explain why the night felt so dark, so eerie and why the shadows seemed to be watching his every move. He could _not_ fight Nyx alone. If it were even her... how did she get out of Tarturas?

He looked back to the big house. If it were Nyx, he wouldn't be able to fight her off on his own. He knew that much. He'd have to run. _You must fall..._ did that mean that Percy would trip and then the thing would finish him? Knowing Percy, he probably would trip. But he didn't think that was what the shadow thing meant.

Without thinking, Percy raised Riptide to see where he was going and to grab the thing's attention and ran towards big house with the sound of pounding feet following closely behind.

 **Is Riptide spelt with a capital R? Because it's a name, right?**

 **Anyway, I hope you liked the first chapter! Let me know your thoughts :)**

 **I love you all,**

 ***Virtual Hugs***

 **Ro x**


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

The Big House was only a few yards away. If Percy jumped, he'd probably land at the base of the steps. He could make it, he could. Couldn't he? But, as his feet pushed harder and harder against the ground, up-turning the mud, all of the flaws of his not-thought-out plan came rushing into his head. A part of him wished that Annabeth was here, she'd know what to do. She always knew what to do.

When he banged on the door, it would take Chiron or Mr D a few minutes to answer and that could cost him precious time. Those few minutes could cost him his life. The shadowed figure might be able to shadow travel like Nico and jump in front of Percy when he least expected it. The shadow figure might know a shortcut and get ahead of Percy. He might fall over a twig and get himself impaled by Riptide (which was highly unlikely, but knowing his luck, you could never be too sure).

Cursing under his breath, Percy swung Riptide up and around his head twice in a hope to get the shadowed figure to back off a little. But his sword struck something hard and metal and that wretched, awful sound of metal scraping against metal banged in his ears. _Shit._

At that moment, something indescribable coursed through Percy. It made his heart stumble and adrenaline to flood every bone, every vein, every breath, every thought.

Something that was a strange blend between fear and pride and shock and fury and power and curiosity fuelled him. He liked this feeling; it was empowering. Why was he running? Out of fear? Percy had faced countless monsters and gods and even a few titans and giants. Hell, he had challenged the God of War when he was no older then twelve years old.

So why was he afraid now? Percy's footsteps slowed. He wasn't afraid, not at all. It was then that Percy realised that he had never been afraid of the shadowed figure, he'd been mad.

He'd been mad that the thing had had the audacity to come to Camp, the place that was home to some demigods, the one place in the world that was safe for them, and try to attack. These people were his family, maybe even the one piece of family that some had, and if the shadowed figure was trying to hurt Percy's family then it better start running far and fast.

Percy shook his head. Loyalty was his fatal flaw. How being loyal was a flaw, he didn't know. Loyalty made him strong, it made him brave, it made him want to turn around and face whoever, whatever, it was who wanted to hurt his friends, his family.

Loyalty made his feet stop running.

Turning around slowly, Percy saw the shadow flow around and fly through the air. It moved like smoke, curling and bending around everything, but the actual substance of it looked like cornflour and water on a speaker and along with it was that whooshing sound like Percy had been dropped from the highest building in the world and was falling to his death.

No, this definitely was not Nyx. This creature was made from something that wasn't even of this world, Percy was sure of it. Nyx could never conjure something like this up. And that was what made Percy quiver just a little. It had to be something bigger than Nyx.

If Nyx wasn't behind this, someone - or something - much more powerful, much older and much more worthy of fear had. Riptide almost fell away from his fingers, Percy could feel his grip loosening. He refused to let go, if he did, his friends would face this thing and he would never let that happen.

The words of what it had said earlier boomed in Percy's mind. _You must fall, Perseus Jackson, it is your fate._ Well, he hadn't tripped on the way over here so that was out. Which meant that he would fall to someone, or something. He would become their slave or their prisoner and it was his fate, it was unavoidable.

Whatever ruthless, cold-hearted, cruel and wicked games the fates liked to play, it seemed that their bets always fell on Percy. _The fates can be cruel..._ he'd heard that before, he'd been warned of them. He had heard those words so many times before. Was that because Chiron knew what would happen to him?

Swallowing, Percy stood there. Not a minute could of passed, his ADHD mind made time speed up or slow down whenever it wanted. Slowly, the thing started to take a shape until it had formed into a small girl with an evil grin and a daring glint in her eye.

It was too dark to see anything over then her face. Percy moved back, startled. How had this girl created all of that? How could she look so innocent in this darkness but have that aura of horror and evil around her? He looked to the big house, his view now blocked by trees. He was in the forest. Funny, he didn't remember moving.

How had Chiron or any of the campers not woken up yet? Percy had thought that they'd been making tons of noise. His heartbeat should of woken someone up at least. Percy shut down those thoughts, he didn't want anyone coming out. That'd put them in danger.

Actually, Percy pushed away himself, if that made any sense. If he was going to get out of here alive, he'd need to become that dark, ruthless, fearless and powerful demigod that everyone feared he would one day become.

Smiling at him, the girl moved closer and closer. Percy saw now that her fingers ended in sharp claws like talons, he glared and tightened his grip on Riptide. "Well, well, well," she murmured and ran her nails along the edge of his blade, "Perseus Jackson. Such a pleasure. I've heard stories about you"

He didn't reply. Percy felt a wrenching pain in his gut and felt the strength of the water come from the lake. Within a second, there were ropes and ribbons of water flowing around the woods, moving to Percy's will. The girl didn't look that intimidated or afraid, though her eyes did flick to the water and then back to Percy. The water tightened around tree trunks and then moved to another space; the sound of waterfalls and creaking trees filled Percy's eardrums.

Using the water to bring the girl closer to him, Percy help Riptide against her neck. She was tied up in ropes of flowing water, though she still didn't look at all fearful.

As Percy bent the water to his will and used his power more and more, he felt his control slowly slipping. Ever since his sixteenth birthday, Percy had to be very aware, very careful of how much of his power he was using because if he lost control, that was it. All hell would break loose. Or so he'd been told.

A wicked smile that matched the girl's own cocky expression took place on Percy's face. He swung his sword downwards in a hope to sweep her legs out from under her, but that same sound of metal blocking metal roared over the water and the girl kicked Riptide away, the sword clattered to the ground and Percy's concentration broke as the watery bounds snapped and fell apart and the girl was free.

Sally had told him to never hit a girl. Did that same rule apply when a girl was most likely an ancient greek monster who escaped hell and was out to kill Percy, his friends and his family? No, probably not. He growled.

Percy picked up his sword and swung it into the girl's shoulder where he knew there would be a gap in the armour. If she was even wearing armour, he wasn't sure. He could hardly see.

Blood poured out of the wound and fell onto the ground like rain drops patting against a roof. The girl growled and bared her teeth like some wild caged beast that had been set free, Percy raised his sword, expecting an attack. But she disappeared into the shadow thing again and transformed into a giant fist with claws.

"I'm not afraid of you," Percy chuckled, his eyes watching the claws warily. "You can show off all you want." His voice didn't shake, his words didn't stumble. But fear had covered every ounce of him.

That clawed fist came closer and closer to him, flickering from that image and to the girl coated in blood. "Your mistake."

Moving so fast and so swift, the claw came at Percy and he didn't have time to even blink or try to fight back before it ran down his side and, immediately, Percy fell into the dark oblivion.

 **Oooh a cliff hanger. This fanfic has been filled with a lot of cliff hangers recently. Though it could never match up to when Uncle Rick threw Percabeth into Tartarus and left us waiting FOR A YEAR!**

 ***Breathes in deeply* I'm cool, I'm cool. I'm good.**

 **I'm not too sure when this fanfic takes place but Percy knows all of the seven but Gaea isn't awake yet and the Argo II doesn't exist (shh, I've said too much).**

 **Let me know what you thought,**

 **Love you all!**

 ***Virtual Hugs***

 **Ro x**


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three

 **Woah, I can't believe we're on Chapter Three already. Time does fly when you're having fun *nudge, nudge, wink, wink***

 **Hey, do you guys remember the early days back in the Too Broken To Fix era? I can't believe how far we've all come and how many friends I've made along the way. I don't say this enough but meeting all of you here and writing for you is... _incredible_ and I'm honoured that out of all the amazing authors here, you all like to read my work. I love you all so much and I just want you all to know that you are beautiful and you are special because people don't get told that enough as they should. Keep being you :)**

 **Love you all!**

 ***Virtual Hugs***

 **Ro x**

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Annabeth tightened her elaborate set of braids and looked around the bustling food hall. Piper had talked her into trying braids instead of her usual pony tail since her pony tails usually came loose and had to be tight so that none of the wild curls came loose. Sometimes, they had to be so tight that they gave her headaches.

The braids, however, were designed in such a gorgeous way with about fifteen small braids delicately woven close to her scalp and then they were all tied back into a larger braid that flowed down her back like a river or gold. _And_ Annabeth could leave them in for a few days at a time and it kept her curls under control. Mostly.

But enough about her hair. As Annabeth's stormy grey eyes scanned the food hall for breakfast, she couldn't catch sight of Percy. He wasn't at the Poseidon table and she couldn't see him amongst the crowds. Which was odd. Percy wasn't usually one to miss out on a chance of food, however he was known for his tendency to over sleep.

Looking back at her table and plate of food, Annabeth took a long sip of her water and shrugged the thought off. In front of her, her plate of toast and jam waited for her, still hot. Annabeth took a bite and got nudged in the ribs by the person sitting next to her.

Her sister (in the Godly way, like Tyson was Percy's brother), Ariel, grinned. Out of all the Athena children, Annabeth had to say that she probably liked Ariel the best. Closely followed by her brother, Malcolm. Ariel was sweet, kind, funny, smart and dependable. And, like Annabeth, she'd ran away from home at a rather young age.

Ariel looked over towards the Poseidon table with one dark brow raised. "Where is he? It's not like him to miss breakfast, is it?" Ariel also tended to worry a lot; it wasn't anything to do with being a demigod or her home life, she was just simply wired in that way.

But, no. It wasn't like him to miss breakfast. Out of all the years Annabeth had known Percy, she'd never seen him miss an opportunity for food. He was skinny and muscled as hell but could eat like an absolute pig.

Usually, Annabeth would pass it off as him over sleeping because that has happened before. Numerous times, actually. Though she wasn't some love sick Aphrodite girl who needed to know everything about their boyfriends twenty-four seven.

Though something felt wrong. Some lurking, dreading feeling in the back of her mind told Annabeth that something about this wasn't right. Maybe it was an Athena thing in which she could sense when something was off or maybe it was just paranoia. Or maybe her past experiences had made her this way; running from home, meeting Thalia, Luke and Grover, finding out about this secret love that her father had had with Athena, and everything that followed.

Sighing through her nose, Annabeth decided that she'd put her mind to rest and go over to his cabin. That way, she could enjoy the day without this feeling hanging over her. He was either still asleep, sick or not even there. The last one sent a chill over her. "No, it's not." She agreed and stood from her table. "Which is why I'm going to go see where he is."

Before Ariel - or anyone else, for that matter - could try to stop her, Annabeth walked out of the food hall and over to where all the cabins were set up.

Without many people here, Camp Half-Blood looked desolate and... rather creepy. Especially as she walked past the Hades cabin with its large shadows framing the view, dust and dirt and cobwebs from years of no use were hanging around the exterior. But Nico was sure to fix that soon. And Hazel, when she came to visit from Camp Jupiter.

Cabin Three came into view as well as the strength of the smell of sea salt coming from the lake. Annabeth waited outside for a few minutes, contemplating what she'd find behind this door. Was Percy even okay? A thousand horrid scenarios ran through her mind, Annabeth growled under her breath. The usually peaceful sound of trickling water slithered its way into Annabeth's ears, the sound echoing her heartbeat.

No. No, she needed to shut down all of those negative thoughts. Percy would be fine, she was sure of it. Annabeth straightened her stance and kept one hand on the hilt of her dagger and pushed open the door with the other. _Come on, Annabeth, when did you get so soft?_

 _When I realised that I had so much to lose,_ an inner voice replied. Annabeth rolled her eyes; to be a demigod meant that you had to stop those thoughts from coming. Otherwise, you'd be driven insane with guilt and worry and stress.

She breathed in sharply, expecting the worst. But, as Annabeth stepped into the room and the door shut behind her, she found that the cabin was empty. Her dagger clattered to the ground.

Nothing was out of place (if anything even had a place with the amount of mess and filth inside Percy's cabin). There was no signs of an attack except an unmade bed with the rumpled covers thrown to one side, but she guessed that Percy had just had another nightmare. Which was completely plausible. But... something burned deep inside of her. Her instincts told her that something bad had happened here.

If he wasn't in his cabin, wasn't in the food hall or anywhere else on camp, where was he? Annabeth grabbed a bunch of Percy's duvet with her fist in anger and threw it to the side to see what was underneath. A flash of white and then came the sound of crunching paper. A note.

Hesitantly, Annabeth picked it up off of the floor. The letters were drawn in a thin, black ink pen and were delicately presented in all capitals. Whoever had written this had took their time over it. But the corners of the paper were crunched up with deep wrinkles and the ink had dried and set, the words settled into the fibres of the paper.

This note hadn't been written recently. Someone had either written it and then set out to complete what it said, or Percy had been taken in the very early hours of the day.

Annabeth felt her heart beat in her ears. She could feel it banging against her rib cage like it was a caged beast that wanted to escape. And, with a burning passion to wreak havoc on whomever had written the line, Annabeth read.

 _The son of the earth shaker belongs to the earth mother._

 **Is this a cliff hanger? I don't know but next chapter (or the one after) you can expect a big cliff hanger :)**

 **If you do consider this to be a cliff hanger then damn, that makes for three cliff hangers in three chapters. Wow.**

 **Do I need to stop? Probably.**

 **Am I going to continue? Definitely.**

 **Will I stop? Never.**

 **Hahahahahahahahaha.**

 **I hope you liked this chapter, let me know what you thought :)**

 **I ove you all! *Virtual Hugs***

 **Ro x**


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter Four

The note fluttered to the ground, Annabeth's fingers went numb from shock. _The son of the earth shaker belongs to the earth mother._ The words rumbled in and around her head like a devastating spiral of dread. They changed through her, making her shiver involuntarily. Annabeth gritted her teeth.

But, above the slow shock that was surely spreading throughout her, Annabeth didn't feel the rushing, crashing weight of emotions like she was expecting. She felt everything move slowly and then click into place like the last piece of a jigsaw puzzle. She stumbled and gripped onto the dresser to balance herself under shaking legs. The world seemed to spin in slow motion, her vision lengthened and tilted. Her grip on the dresser tightened. _Keep it together!_

Percy wasn't at camp. He wasn't anywhere in camp. He might not even be anywhere near camp; he could be in another country all together. Percy had been taken. But... by who?

Annabeth closed her eyes and tried to picture what must of happened. She knew that Percy would of put up one hell of a fight, she knew that he wouldn't go down without testing out all of his options. Dear Gods... had he done something stupid just to protect camp? Had he given himself up? Had he gone willingly in a deal that his attacker wouldn't hurt Camp?

Knowing Percy... he probably would have. Annabeth groaned and slammed her hands down the dresser. Trust him to make her life as difficult as possible.

He must of woken from a nightmare. That would explain the unmade bed. Then where would he have gone? Annabeth pictured herself in Percy's shoes. He would've done something reckless and dangerous and stupid, but it was so incredibly Percy at the same time. He would of gone down to the beach and then, in the darkness, something must of attacked and took him.

Then there must have been a fight. She knew that there had to be a fight. Percy wouldn't of gone willingly, unless there had been a deal of sorts. Surely, though, he wouldn't have been so stupid. Camp had weapons and trained demigods and strong, harnessed powers... if Percy had made a deal, why? Camp Half-Blood was prepared for this type of thing.

Now, she had two options. All of which weren't really the best way to spend a Friday morning. She could either go down to the beach and look for clues or blood and then report back to Chiron. Though searching for her missing boyfriend's blood didn't sound particularly good. Or, she could go to Chiron and he would host a meeting and could gather information from everyone present.

The second option seemed like the best choice. That way, she was most likely to get desperately needed answers. Besides, if Annabeth were to go to the beach alone then she might risk getting attacked, too, and then she wouldn't be able to help and save Percy.

Opening her eyes, Annabeth looked around the cabin once more. It all seemed so lonely and eerie, it was no longer comforting. Without Percy inside, a sudden chill overcame the room. She reached out a slightly shaking hand and touched a photo of her and Percy sitting on the steps outside the big house with her left pointer finger. Percy's arm was around her and they were both laughing and smiling.

What were they doing to him? What horrors had he faced? Or what horrors were to come? Annabeth pushed aside her worry and fear; if she were to help Percy then she needed to keep a level head and not let her emotions get the better of her. Besides, he might even be alright. She didn't know. And _that_ was what aggravated her.

She bent down and picked up the note and her fallen dagger. Once the note was gripped so tightly in her hand that the paper crunched and her dagger was secured back in her belt loop, Annabeth headed for the big house.

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"Chiron!" She called out, her breath coming in short pants after Annabeth sprinted from Percy's cabin to the big house. It wasn't a far run but trying to run with a burning heartbeat of fear and worrying if Percy was okay made it harder then usual.

Stumbling clumsily up the steps, Annabeth spotted the centaur talking to Mr D. Slowly, he turned around and smiled as he looked at Annabeth. She gripped the wooden rail of the steps and tried to keep her eyes off of the woods only mere metres away from her.

To her, Chiron had always been the father figure in her life. She had ran away from home when she was seven because her father and step mother always blamed her for everything that went wrong in their lives so, obviously, most of her life was spent without a dad. But then she'd met Chiron and he had welcomed her and told her long forgotten stories of selfless heroes and brave maidens. And Annabeth had finally felt like she belonged.

His expression soon turned into worry as he took in Annabeth's appearance. She imagined what she must of looked like and had to grin a little. She probably looked like a crazy person. "What's wrong, Annabeth?" He asked.

From behind him, Mr D threw his hands up in the air. "One game of chess, Chiron! No, we always have to get interrupted! And I was just about to capture your king!" Then he sighed, stood from his chair and walked away.

Annabeth rolled her eyes. How this man ever became a god, she'd never really understand it. No matter if she was a daughter of Athena or not. "It's Percy," Annabeth gasped out once Mr D had left. She suddenly felt very stupid indeed. What if this was just one of the Stoll brothers playing a prank on her? Percy was a heavy enough sleeper that they could've dragged him and hid him inside the shed or something. It was too late now. "I found this in his room."

A small part of her was aware that, maybe, this was one massive prank and Percy was actually in on it. Maybe Ariel was in on it too and that was why she'd pointed it out. She was also aware of how much of a high school cliché girl she'd read about in books she was sounding like.

But if this wasn't a prank, then Percy was actually missing. Annabeth cleared her throat, shuffled her feet uncomfortably under Chiron's intimidating gaze and shoved the note under his eyes.

With every word that had been read, Chiron's eyes widened and began to possess that cold look that only a someone who had been through battles and wars and heartbreak could muster. Annabeth knew that she'd looked like that a few times, too.

Placing a comforting hand on Annabeth's shoulder, Chiron guided them inside the big house and over to an empty room. The meeting room. If it was even called that, she wasn't sure. "I'll be back in a second, okay? You wait right here." She nodded. "Don't worry, Annabeth. I know that you Athena children tend to do that quite a lot."

She managed a small smile and, with the flick of a tail and the sound of hooves pounding the earth, she was alone.

The room was fairly dark. There was no windows and only one old looking torch hanging on the wall beside the deep coloured wooden door. The torch was help in place by a strip of dark gold that was sealed along it and to the wall. In the centre of the room was a large, circular, dark oak table with several tall chairs of the same material around it, the seats of were covered in rich red velvet. One of which, Annabeth sat on now. Covering the entire wall behind her was a map but, still like the rest of the room, was dark but readable and hand drawn in inky black and on yellowing paper with age. Old wooden beams hung from the ceiling, each one a few centimetres apart from the other and there were ridges in the wood from where they'd been worn down over the centuries.

Being a daughter of Athena, Annabeth had always loved architecture. But she liked to think that that fascination was a part of her and not just because of whatever things she inherited from her mother. She marvelled at the room and couldn't help but wonder just how old this room, and the whole big house, in that respect, truly was.

Then, the door opened. And closed. Annabeth looked up and saw that the room was filled with people; Rachel Elizabeth Dare, the person she'd hated at first for the way she looked at Percy but had soon become a close friend. Now, Annabeth thought that her hatred for Rachel was silly and immature, the girl would never harm her on purpose.

Next was a boy who looked to be around the age of fifteen and blended in with the darkness of the room perfectly as if one of these old shadows lived and thrived somewhere deep inside of him. Annabeth noticed a skull ring on his finger and smiled: Nico. He wore all black with rips in the knees of his jeans and a leather jacket hung on his shoulders, despite the mid-summer heat.

Lastly was Chiron who commanded that they all take a seat. "Is everyone clear on the story? What I told you outside?" Annabeth silently thanked Chiron, she didn't want to hear what happened any more then how many times she had to. "Right, what do we do first?"

Normally, the heads of each Cabin would be present, too. But, for whatever reason, Chiron had decided not to bring them. That was perfectly okay with Annabeth. She didn't want anyone to panic too much until they got all the facts and the story was straight.

Annabeth wanted to get her facts right, she wanted everything to be written down clearly in front of her so she could process it all and think of a plan. But more than that, she wanted to know if Percy was even alive. So she turned to Nico. "Is he..." she swallowed thickly, preparing herself to say the word 'dead' but Nico seemed to catch on. Annabeth silently thanked him.

He shook his head and cast a glance towards Chiron nervously, like he was afraid to say the wrong thing. "He's alive." Annabeth felt relief wash over her, but she couldn't afford to celebrate yet. Not truly. Because how long would he be alive for? "He isn't close to death. At least, not yet." He looked around the room slowly. "But... I can't feel him with as much strength as I could when he was nearer. Meaning, he must be further away from Camp."

Nico's words were small and he never looked up from where he was fiddling with his skull ring. But, to Annabeth, she'd never heard something so wonderful and devastating at the same time. She didn't really know Nico all that well and she felt a little bit guilty; from what she'd heard, he was always an outcast and always used when people needed something. Annabeth couldn't help but feel like that was all that she was doing to him now.

But... Percy was alive. More or less. And they didn't have his exact location, nor was he close to Camp. Though, he was still in reach for Nico to detect whether he was alive or not and it was confirmed that he was, indeed, alive. And that was enough for now.

She'd never settle until Percy was back in the safe boundaries of Camp Half-Blood, until she could kick him and punch him for scaring her and hug him until her arms hurt. But, until then, Annabeth found some small, shaking and quiet level of comfort at the fact that his heart was still beating. That he was still fighting.

A sharp inhale and thud interrupted Annabeth's thoughts. She turned to face where the source of the noise had come from and felt her eyes widen. Rachel's eyes had gone completely green, even the whites surrounding her pupils. Green smoke tinged with gold. And her head hanging at such an angle that it looked like her neck was broken; wild, untamable red curls fell in front of her face but she made no sign of brushing them back. _A prophecy._

Sure, Annabeth had seen and heard and watched prophecies loads of times, but she still always felt a little bit creeped out when watching her friend say one. Like it was a part of Rachel that she shouldn't know about.

Immediately, everyone who was in that room had strained ears and wide eyes to try and hear what Rachel would say. Annabeth bit her bottom lip as she felt fear un-coil deep in her stomach at the thought of what would happen if the words death and die and torture were included in the prophecy.

She squared her shoulders and gripped the hilt of her dagger tight enough that she was surprised that her fingers didn't fall off. Annabeth would not be afraid. No matter what. If she had to go into the depths of hell alone, for Percy she would. For Percy, she could push aside her fear. For Percy, she'd do just about anything.

 _"Powers that are too great to wield,_

 _Shall be used as a shield._

 _A hero must fall_

 _And with him, so will all."_

And then came the screams.

 **Longest chapter so far! High five!**

 **Didn't I promise a cliff hanger? Yes, yes I did.**

 **Oooh, what did you think of the prophecy? What's going to happen? I don't know *shrugs***

 **Love you all!**

 ***Virtual Hugs***

 **Ro x**


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter Five

 **This chapter is going to sound weird but trust me, every thing will get explained later :)**

 **I'm in a onesie with fluffy unicorn slippers, writing, and I have a cup of tea and biscuits on the go whilst listening to all my favourite songs... I AM LOVING LIFE 3**

 **I hope you like this chappie and don't worry, we'll find out what happens to poor Percy in either next chapter or the one after :)**

 **Oh, we all know how I love to torture Percy, I love him really**

 **Also, has anyone read the Maze Runner? I was thinking of reading it cause Dylan O'Brien is really hot, haha and it looks quite good :)**

 **Love you all!**

 ***Virtual Hugs***

 **Ro x**

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Without thinking twice, Annabeth stood from her chair with her dagger out of the loop of her belt and clutched tightly in her grasp, poised and ready to fight. Her feet were burning, begging to sprint out from the room and see what was happening; she hated being in the dark of things. Annabeth paused and analysed the screams whilst contemplating what to do next.

The screams were short and loud and they filled the air like music. A harsh, brave kind of music that wrapped itself around her bones. Short and loud, not long and agonized. These were not screams of pain, they were screams of shock. And war.

Only now did Annabeth realise that there was a large grandfather clock softly ticking in the far corner. With each tick of the hand, there was another rumble and another scream. _Of shock,_ she reminded herself. _Not pain._

Rachel was finished speaking and her eyes were slowly coming back to their natural colour, the whites around her eyes becoming more and more visible as the green faded and went back to that dark, mad place that contained it. The spirit of Delphi.

Every time Rachel spoke a prophecy, Annabeth feared she'd turn into someone just like May Castellan, someone who has seen too much to be able to comprehend it. Someone with a full heart and a broken mind. Someone who will wait for a lost hero to finally return home until death.

But then she remembered Luke. And she remembered all the little broken bits and pieces of her past that were tied along with him. She remembered handing him that knife, feeling that moving sensation in her arms that felt all too much like she was trying to grasp a hold of something that she could never have. And, like grasping at the ends of straws or sand trickling through her fingers, Annabeth had felt herself fall for those long, long months that followed.

Annabeth blinked, forgetting where she was and what was happening. She didn't need to be thinking about those types of things at the moment, not when she had people to fight for. She'd bury those thoughts down, as she had always done, and she'd bring them out when she was clinging to life and remembering what it meant to stand up and fight.

When she looked around the dark room, she saw Nico with that dark sword that was crafted of nightmares and shadows drawn at his side and his form slowly fading into those inky shadows that always seemed to follow him. Maybe he was _their_ shadow instead of them being his.

Chiron had also left the room; she imagined him during the fight in Manhattan with Kronos. Ready to fight to defend those he loved. The scar by her shoulder burned at the memory. Annabeth remembered laying on that bed with Percy standing over her, he had shown her is Achilles spot. Even though there had been a battle raging outside, that moment with Percy had been one of her favourites and always would be.

The ticking of the grandfather clock made Annabeth clamp a ruthless, steel lock around all of those thoughts and memories. There was a battle outside, or so it sounded like there was. She needed to join them and fight, not be standing in the middle of the room reliving old memories.

Behind her, someone groaned. Rachel. Annabeth cast her a worried look, she wanted to go out and fight. She needed to keep her mind away from thinking too much and she wanted to help her friends so much that her dagger burned in her hand, begging to be used. But... she couldn't leave Rachel, the after effect of speaking a prophecy was still taking a toll.

Waving a hand, Rachel looked up. Her eyes were back to normal besides a slightly greenish tint but maybe they always looked like that. The burden of being an Oracle constantly living under her skin. "Go," she shook her head with a smile. Though Annabeth didn't miss the fact that she panted with every other word like she'd just ran a marathon. "I'll be fine."

After the first few couple of times she'd spoken a prophecy, Rachel would have blacked out and would've had to have been taken to the infirmary. These last few months she'd gotten better at dealing with the aftermath of it all but she still wouldn't be any use in the fight outside. She still had to fight to contain the prophecies and beast under her skin after letting it out. Even for just a few seconds.

As much as she wanted to help Rachel out (somehow, she'd never really done it before), Annabeth needed to go and see what was going on outside more. So she nodded and ran out with her dagger raised high, a battle cry unleashing itself from her throat.

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What she saw outside was the least thing that Annabeth could ever have expected. If she was given a thousand guesses, she'd never of guessed this.

Everyone was standing up front with their weapons poised. Nobody wore any armour except a few people who had managed to find a helmet or chest plate. They seemed just as shocked as she was, though they still raged into a full on fight. Annabeth winced as she saw the damage that had been done already and the fight hadn't even been going for twenty minutes.

There were flames licking and crawling up the sides of a few cabins though they didn't belong to Annabeth or Percy. The grass beneath their feet was charred and stained with soot and the sky was covered in smoke like someone had spilt ashes onto a blue carpet.

At the front was Nico raising as many dead skeletons as he could, his blade raised as he hacked down beast after beast. His boyfriend, Will Solace, was running around frantically to try and fight as well as help those who were wounded.

Annabeth wondered vaguely if the skeletons were like the Cyclops and were resistant to fire because they showed no fear as they walked into the depths of the flames. If skeletons could show fear, anyways.

Standing next to him was Clarisse. She twirled a spear in her hands and chucked it into the crowd of attackers opposite her a few yards away. The spear landed amongst the pack with a squelch and then a thud. Clarisse looked rather proud of herself and then she ran off to get another weapon.

But the strangest part of the attack was the fact that they weren't being attacked by monsters. No, these were not monsters at all.

Their bronze coats shined like Riptide, some were flecked with mud and fresh scarlet blood. Some had scratches and others had large, gaping and dripping wounds. Their manes were all of the most golden and beautiful shades of bronze and copper blended together. They were matted and, too, covered in filth.

And their teeth... sharp as any monster claws. They were long and sharp and they looked like they were bred for death and destruction. The claws were also coated in a thick layer of crimson blood, dripping onto their large and clawed and gold paws.

Annabeth felt the breath knock out of her as she realised what they were up against and how truly surreal the whole situation was. A loud, bone rattling roar broke through the animal's mouth, shaking the very foundation of the earth.

 _Lions_.

As Annabeth ran up to the front to join the fight, she didn't give herself time to realise how this worked or what this even was or _why_ it was happening or how these lions could possibly want to start a fight. They must have explained from somewhere, but where? She gave no other thoughts on the matter and jumped in to the fight and fought like hell.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw a flash of brown hair and a white patterned feather attached to it. Piper. She was running faster then Annabeth could see and jumped right in front of a lion, Annabeth opened her mouth to call out but as she was about to make a sound, Piper did a back flip onto the lion's back and stabbed Katoptris in its neck. And twisted sharply.

It whined and collapsed on it's side. Piper jumped up and moved over to Annabeth, "I took a few gymnastic classes when I was younger. Teaches you a thing or two."

Annabeth smiled at her and, together, the two of them were two whirling clouds of death and fury. The two of them were unstoppable and, for a few minutes, Annabeth completely forgot about the storm raging in her heart.

 **That was a crappy ending.**

 **Ugh, I'm sorry. Crrrriiiinnnnngggggeee**

 **Well the next chapter is definitely a Percy chapter and (hopefully) it will explain any questions you all have :)**

 **I love you all!**

 ***Virtual Hugs***

 **Ro x**


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter Six

 **Already, we've got reviews! Happy, happy, happy need see, haha :)**

 **I know that we kind of ended on a cliff hanger about Percy and if he's okay (or even alive, for that matter) so I'll try to make this quick because we all know that I can take for England ;)**

 **ImpossibleThings12 Hi! Haha, thank you so much! And good, I'll have to get it :)**

 **I know, I torture Percy a lot, haha. Also I think that Annabeth is probably one of the hardest characters to write because her mind and back story is actually quite complex and I always think that I've got it wrong so that really means a lot 3 I hope that you like this chapter!**

 **Okay, let's do this thing! Woo! I'm piped, maybe because I'm on my third cup of coffee in two hours, haha.**

 **Enjoy :)**

 **I love you all!**

 ***Virtual Hugs***

 **Ro x**

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Moving so fast and so swift, the claw came at Percy and he didn't have time to even blink or try to fight back before it ran down his side and, immediately, Percy fell into the dark oblivion.

Groaning, Percy clutched at his aching side and sat up with fuzzy sight. He hoped, he prayed, that what had happened was nothing more then a nightmare, that he'd wake up to see Annabeth telling him that everything was okay, that he was okay and that she was okay.

But that small hope was bittersweet and he knew, deep, deep down, that he was just lying to himself. Annabeth would not be there, it had not been a dream. The pain in his side, the pain in his mind and heart, was proof of that.

When his foggy and dazed eyesight finally cleared up, Percy looked around with dread climbing up higher and higher inside of him. A cell. He was in a cell. Percy felt himself frown, he felt himself let go of whatever he was clinging onto.

The cell had steel walls, steel floor, a steel ceiling and, to his right, a wall made up of steel bars. There was no windows, only one large and long and exceptionally bright light that were usually used in hospitals and class rooms. There was a grim looking toilet on the wall opposite him and a figure standing on the other side of the steel bars. Guarding him in, keeping him in.

It took Percy a few moments to fully connect the dots. The figure outside wasn't just any figure... he'd stared at this person with fear in his eyes and anger in his heart and loyalty in his mind that night by the forest. How long had it been?

In the lighting, Percy could finally see the girl for who she truly was. A monster: a Kampe. Her metal leg matched the steel... everything and it explained the awful sound he'd heard whenever he'd tried to strike with Riptide. The other half of her, the furry leg, reminded Percy of Grover however strange that sounded and it made him long for his best friend. He hadn't seen him in months.

She had a small frame but Percy would never dare underestimate her. She wore a short, ripped and muddied red dress with a black skull sewn carefully on her left breast pocket. Her skin was pale, as everyone who was here probably was since there were no windows in sight, with scratches and freckles on her face. Her eyes were dark, deep pits of onyx. Percy squirmed under her gaze uncomfortably, her eyes looked like they were made of the shadows of the worst pain imaginable and her hair... long hair that looked like rivers of blood and sorrow had blended into one.

Percy shuddered and turned his gaze to the glass of water in the corner next to him. He wouldn't drink it; it might become the one source of power he had if they were to starve and torture him here then the power living inside of him wouldn't be able to work.

He felt something move in his pocket. Riptide. Feeling the sword, Percy felt pride and anger overtake him. Would he just sit here and throw a pity party and wait to be saved? No, he wouldn't.

Actually, now that he thought about it, Percy didn't want to be saved. It wasn't that he didn't want to go back, he wanted that more than anything in the world, but he didn't want to risk his friends lives just because he managed to get himself into a mess.

Without another thought, Percy stood abruptly and pulled Riptide out, clicking the pen into a sword in the same movement. In seconds, he was reaching through the bars with the glowing bronze blade pressed up against the Kampe's neck. "What's your name?" He hissed.

Maybe it was a bad place to start. He needed to know the basics but the hardest to find answers. Percy needed to know who they were, how many of them there were, how long he had been unconscious, where he was, and, above all of that, he needed to know if everyone else was okay.

As he pressed Riptide further into the Kampe's neck, not enough to cause an injury but certainly enough for her to think that he wasn't going to mess around, a rippling movement in the hallway outside his cell caught Percy's attention.

When he looked back at the Kampe, he saw her eyes closed. It both relieved and intrigued him. Relieved because he didn't have to look into her soulless eyes, and intrigued because as the Kampe focused, the shadow bent and moved like it had that night in the forest.

In his hands, Riptide trembled slightly. She was doing this, she was controlling the shadow. Then that meant... that this was no ordinary monster. Percy swallowed and tightened his grip on the blade. "H-How are you doing that?" He wasn't able to keep his voice from shaking this time around and he cursed himself for it.

Opening her eyes, Percy had to physically keep himself from stumbling back. Up close, they looked so much more horrifying like a thousand shattered dreams that had slowly morphed into nightmares. He braced himself.

A smile twisted her features until the Kampe looked like the worst fears and thoughts and memories in flesh. "The same thing we're going to do to you," she slowly looked towards him, "has been done before."

Percy's mind was reeling. Each thought coming in too fast for him to be able to comprehend. He looked to the ground, not removing Riptide from her neck and waited for her to continue.

"A young daughter of Hecate." She laughed. "I don't know her name, nobody even noticed she was gone. But, then again, she hadn't been... recruited for a camp yet. Stripped bare from her powers, her magic." The Kampe lifted a hand and made her fingers dance as a shadow appeared in her palm. "And now they belong to me."

These people had killed an innocent girl who knew nothing of the world of myths that laid in between the folds of this world... and they would do the same thing to Percy.

His powers had become a part of him. A part that, even though a lot of carp was tied along with it, Percy actually quite enjoyed. Without it, he would never of met Annabeth or any of his friends, he would never feel like he belonged somewhere.

That girl had never got to experience those things.

Percy pressed Riptide harder into the Kampe's neck. Beads of blood trickled down her neck and she laughed as she watched blood flow and stain. The cut from her shoulder was covered in dried blood and it looked like it hurt, but she showed no signs of pain or discomfort. "What are you going to do?" He hissed, his voice sounding cruel and heartless even to his own ears.

The Kampe stepped out of his reach and wiped away the blood with a finger. "Klea." She said with a dark chuckle. "My name's Klea." She turned to face the hallway and whistled. "Let's see if you fare better then that little Hecate girl."

Then, before Percy even knew what was happening, there was another Kampe inside his cell, a needle in hand. Percy could hear himself screaming as the needle entered his skin, the contents entering his bloodstream, and the feeling of his blood slowly freezing over.

And then nothing but darkness.

 **Damn, I am on FIRE with these cliff hangers.**

 **Well, I hoped you liked this chapter and that it cleared up some of your questions :)**

 **I love you all!**

 ***Virtual Hugs***

 **Ro x**


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter Seven

 ***Blushes* Gahh, you guys are so sweet! I think that I'm actually in shock with how many reviews we got last chapter.**

 **ImpossibleThings12 Haha, thank you :)**

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 **Guest Thanks, and thank you for pointing that out. I'll go back and edit it all once the story is completed, it's a bad habit, oops haha :)**

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 **Also, quick question. If I started an Instagram account, would you guys like it? I don't really know what I'd post, maybe funny Percy Jackson tumblr things, headcanons, maybe even a photo of me, new fanfics I was working on, things like that. Let me know :)**

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Annabeth paced up and down her cabin, with her teeth chewing on her lip as she concentrated. Piper, who was sat on the edge of Annabeth's bed, stood and put her hands over Annabeth's. "Stop," she said slowly. "I know that you want to find him but you're going to drive yourself insane."

Maybe there was some truth to that. Since morning (a good four hours ago), Annabeth had been pacing and thinking and worrying. Not a good thing to be doing for such a long time. Especially because she was a daughter of Athena, it meant that she considered all the horrible options, never leaving a single one out.

But Annabeth had been speaking to Nico and he'd said many times that Percy was alive. No matter how many times she heard it, Annabeth could never really bring herself to stop worrying about him; how long would he be alive for? What were they doing to him?

She hated being in the dark of things, hated not knowing things. Maybe it was because she was a daughter of Athena or maybe that was just how Annabeth was. She sighed and flopped on her bed with Piper standing over her, arms crossed.

All morning, - or maybe it was lunch now, she didn't know - Annabeth had been trying to work through the prophecy. But it was a lot harder then she'd originally thought. Annabeth had heard lots of prophecies and had worked them through slowly and, in the end, she'd gotten a few of the lines right. A few.

This prophecy though had too many different meanings. It was too vague. Maybe the prophecy wasn't even talking about Percy. Maybe it was like the Great Prophecy: spoken long ago, talked about in hushed tones as they cautiously awaited the hero to come.

Closing her eyes, Annabeth recited the Prophecy like a favourite song.

"Powers that are too great to wield,

Shall be used as a shield.

A hero must fall

And with him, so will all."

Turning to face Piper, Annabeth huffed. "There isn't enough of it to suggest a solid meaning, Piper. What if Percy is really in trouble? I won't be there to help him and you know what an idiot he can be at times."

Oh gods of Olympus, she was starting to sound like a love crazed teenager. Annabeth wasn't going to sit here, moping, waiting for her boyfriend to come back and save her. No, that was Bella Swan's job.

She'd do something about it. She'd do something about it and get everything back to normal.

Normal wasn't a word usually heard in Camp. It wasn't usually heard when being a demigod. It had been so long since Annabeth and Percy had been normal. If they've ever been it.

Piper sighed and sat down next to Annabeth, her arms hugging her from the side. "Come on, let's go the campfire. It will take your mind off things."

Nodding, Annabeth stood and then helped Piper up. Maybe if she took a break, she could get a fresh start later and maybe she'd discover something that she hadn't seen before. Annabeth hadn't even started thinking about the attack last night with the lions.

That was strange. And it meant too many things for Annabeth to know. "You're right." Annabeth cast all thoughts of Percy and attacks out of her mind, even though it felt like she was giving up.

But she would never give up. Not even if years past and Nico had reported that Percy was dead, she'd still look for him. She'd always look for him.

She loved him.

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Seated around the campfire, Annabeth always had to admire the view. Even though the flames had attacked a few cabins last night, there were some still roaring on the campfire now. Repairs were already starting to be made, anyway.

Orange, red, amber and gold flames burned and entwined each other with another. With each song sung, each story told and each laugh broke, the flames grew higher and higher.

The night was beautiful. A part of Annabeth had always admired the night sky, how something could be so big and vast and limitless and daunting yet so peaceful and stunning and memorable had always shocked her. To the wishes that were told upon the stars to the faded screams of death, night was either good or bad.

Suddenly, all chatter broke apart. Annabeth looked up and saw Chiron walk through. He hushed everyone with just a look. "Thank you." He nodded, Annabeth leaned forward, eager to hear anything he had to say.

"As you all know, the attack last night was unsuspected and frankly quite odd. Mr D and I have talked and we have come to agreement that this attack could be tied to Percy Jackson's kidnapping and the prophecy told by Rachel minutes before the attack happened."

At the word _kidnapping_ , Annabeth flinched. It all seemed so real now; it was a kidnapping. Her boyfriend was kidnapped.

Chiron looked around at all their shocked or expressionless faces and made his tone warmer. "I know that we all want to find Percy. But Mr D and I cannot allow a quest to be issued. I'm sorry, but we know nothing and it hasn't even been two days without him yet."

He wasn't going to issue a quest? After all the things that Percy had done for camp, for Olympus, for the world, a quest wasn't going to be issued to find him? All Percy had ever wanted was a normal life and because of all of this, he'd never got that opportunity. Percy had put his own needs before everyone else's, multiple times, and they wouldn't even be bothered to try to look for him.

Annabeth stood. "Shame on you," she snapped at Chiron and proceed to storm off to her cabin with rage flowing through her veins.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter Eight

 **I'm aiming for three chapters today, this is the second. I have a cup full of coffee and a playlist ready to rumble, let's do this thing ;)**

 **ImpossibleThings12 Awe, thank you! :)**

 **I love you all!**

 ***Virtual Hugs***

 **Ro x**

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The sound of metal against rock booked throughout the Athena cabin. Sometimes, when Annabeth ground it at the stone really hard, sparks would fly. She didn't care, she didn't care that there could be a fire, she didn't care that it was two in the morning and she'd been doing this since six at night, she didn't care that she was keeping everyone awake either.

She'd been sharpening her dagger for eight hours. But she didn't stop. Annabeth was aware of how intimidating she must look; grey eyes burning like the harshest seas, blonde braids looking like an angel turned warrior and her dagger sharp enough to kill with just the slightest touch.

How could Chiron not make a quest to save Percy? She still couldn't wrap her head around it. Mr D, she understood. He didn't really care about Percy. Hell, he didn't even know his name. But Chiron, after all Percy had done and how many people looked up to him, Annabeth didn't understand.

Cowards. About an hour ago, Annabeth had decided that all of them were cowards. They were afraid because they didn't know what was happening, what was going to happen and what would happen.

Granted, Annabeth was annoyed about that, too. But at least she wouldn't just sit back and take all of it. No, she'd go after Percy and she'd slaughter any monster who got in her way.

Annabeth shook her head. For a daughter of Athena, she was starting to sound a bit rash and stubborn. Maybe Percy was rubbing off on her. She smiled at the thought.

From the bunk bed above, there was a loud groan. Annabeth dropped the rock she was using to the ground with a thud and raised a brow, even though it was dark and no one could see her.

Ariel, the person she shared a bunk with, poked her head over the side with a quizzical expression. Annabeth sheathed her dagger in her belt loop (considering she hadn't changed) and gripped the third bar on the ladder so she could see and hear Ariel better. "What?" Annabeth whispered, her eyes locking with Ariel's.

In the dim light, Ariel's skin looked almost as white as the pool of moonlight on the floor by the window and as smooth as marble. Her black pixie cut off-set her delicate features and made her cracked baby pink lips look like they belonged to a fairy. The scar running from the base of her neck, cutting across a corner of her lips, along her nose and disappearing into her hair line made her look like a doll sewn together and slowly falling apart.

Wide grey eyes, the same colour of Annabeth's, turned up in a smile. Annabeth had always been rather fascinated by Ariel's story, though she never liked to ask about her past because of all the memories it would bring up.

All she knew was that Ariel had been treated badly by her father and was often pushed into the attic during weekends with only one bottle of water and two pieces of bread. When one of the Satyr's had found her on the road after she'd ran away from home, she'd been nothing but bones and fears and now she was happy and healthy and one of the best fighters out there.

With everything that Ariel had been through, Annabeth found it astonishing that she could still smile and laugh and enjoy life. It was a rare thing these days, even without being abused and locked away. "I want to tell you something." Ariel murmured and fiddled with a loose piece of thread from her duvet.

Raising a brow, Annabeth nodded at her to go on. The calmness and quietness of the cabin felt odd and made Annabeth's skin tingle, waiting for whoever took Percy to come after her and everyone else, too. Her eyes caught on the dagger in her belt loop momentarily. Not without a fight. Ariel sucked in a breath.

"Sometimes, Annabeth, it's okay to be selfish." Her voice was quiet but full of purpose. Annabeth leaned in to hear better as Ariel continued, she had a thought that she knew where this conversation was heading. "Okay to go against the rules. In all the books I've read, the films I've watched and the stories I've heard, I have never encountered something as strong and real as what you and Percy have. So go after him, Annabeth, and be selfish for just a little while."

At the words, Annabeth widened her eyes. Was Ariel suggesting... that Annabeth leave camp? Without permission? The amount of danger and destruction and worry something like that could cause was uncanny, but Annabeth's feet burned to walk away. To run.

 _Percy would do something like this if I were the one missing._ Annabeth blinked, unaware of where that thought had come from. Was she honestly going to consider actually doing it? Percy would sneak out to find her, he'd done something like that before.

Had he felt the fear and pressure that Annabeth felt now? Had he had second thoughts just like she was now? Had he wanted to back out and trust Chiron like Annabeth wanted to? But, deep down, had he knew that what everyone else did didn't matter to him? Had he just followed his heart and hoped for the best?

It was such a Percy thing to do that, by doing it, Annabeth felt like she might feel some connection to him. Some understanding of why he did all the stupid, reckless things that he did.

Closing her eyes, Percy flashed in her mind. She remembered when he had shown up with the hunters and had saved her. In that moment, she'd finally realised that what she felt for him wasn't just because of the rivalry between their parents. In that moment, she'd felt so many emotions it was hard to remember it now.

She wanted Percy to feel the same way she had done. When she rescued him and saved him (because she would), she wanted him to feel what she had felt.

That thought made Annabeth open her eyes and breathe in deeply. "Will you tell anyone where I've gone?" She looked around. "Where we've gone?"

She'd have to bring two more people. If Chiron wasn't going to make a quest, she would make up her own. And, by that logic, she'd need two people and she had just the right people in mind. Besides, what was a prophecy without a quest?

Ariel shook her head. "I swear on the River Styx not to tell anyone that you've left camp."

Annabeth smiled and jumped down from the ladder she was clinging onto. _This is such a bad idea. Athena will kill you. Everything will go wrong. You'll only put more people in danger._

The thoughts running around her mind made some sort of sense. But Annabeth was past that now, she'd made up her mind and there was no stopping her.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter Nine

 **Phew, the final chapter of the day. Maybe. If I can tear myself away from the keyboard. Hey, there might even be a quadruple (is that the right word?) update today :)**

 **ImpossibleThings12 That sounds fun, haha. Hope you like this chapter! :)**

 **Also, Ariel is my own character and I hope you all like her. I'm not sure of she'll appear in the story any more though but I thought she was pretty cool ;)**

 **Enjoy 3**

 **I love you all!**

 ***Virtual Hugs***

 **Ro x**

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In the darkness of her cabin, Annabeth waited a good hour and a half until she started to get ready. She couldn't believe that she was actually going to go through with this.

The plan was bare and vague and small and she hadn't even considered all of the things that could go wrong. She might not even be able to make it out of camp before she got caught.

Each and every time a negative thought passed through her head, Annabeth reminded herself that she was doing this for Percy. And that made her nerves settle down for a little while.

An hour and a half later, snores and sleepy murmurs were filling the cabin. Annabeth counted to ten to get all of her thoughts in order and to get out of bed and get ready before she backed out.

 _One._

What if Chiron caught her on her way to the other Cabins? What would he say? He'd be extremely disappointed and mad, for starters. Annabeth's stomach squeezed into a tight knot. She didn't want to disappoint him, she didn't want to disappoint anyone. She just wanted to save Percy, that was all.

 _Four._

Maybe Ariel would tell. Maybe she'd crossed her fingers behind her back when she'd sworn on the River Styx. Could that happen? Did that work? Annabeth's eyes flicked up to the top bunk. She couldn't picture Ariel doing something as cruel as that, but, then again, people kept their friends close and their enemies closer. Was that what Ariel was doing in befriending her?

 _Six._

Would the three of them get attacked by a monster? If one of them got seriously injured or worse, on the brink of death, would they make it back to Camp before their time ran out? And then, when they were back safely, what would Chiron say?

 _Nine._

If Annabeth got her friends (or anyone else, for that matter) in danger or trouble, the blame would he put on her. If she couldn't save Percy but only made things worse for him, everyone and herself, the guilt would crush her. Annabeth felt sick at the thought. She'd be crushed by guilt. It would push down on her shoulders, push down and down and down until she couldn't stand up straight and then it would crush her more and she wouldn't be able to stand and then more, she wouldn't be able to live.

 _Ten._

It was too late now. Annabeth pushed all of those negative thoughts out of her mind. It was too late now. _Too late._ She swung her legs over the side of her bed, her heart hammering into her rib cage so hard Annabeth thought her ribs might snap, and stood.

There were so many risks just in getting ready. Someone could hear her and report back to Chiron. All she had to do was step accidentally on a creaky floor board and it would all go to hell.

 _No!_ She couldn't afford to think like that. Annabeth straightened her posture, grabbed some clothes and boots and got dressed as quickly and quietly as she could.

Once she was dressed and her old clothes were folded neatly and put away, Annabeth turned to face the mirror on the opposite side of the room. She wore a pair of black leather pants. She'd hardly worn them but they were dark so they'd blend in with the night and easy to move in so that she could run in them. A grey, loose fitting and long sleeved top hung on her figure again, it was easy to move in. On her feet were black leather boots that climbed up to her knees and had grips so she could climb if need be.

The clothes were perfect. They were easy to move in, the leather was strong and tight so that no pieces could come loose and could become a trip hazard and it would be quite hard to get a blade through it.

Annabeth ran her fingers along the waist of the pants, her fingers catching on the empty belt loop. She frowned. There was the quiet, slight sound of metal on metal as she sheathed her sharpened dagger in the loop. Her complicated array of immaculate braids was still intact and out of her face so that was good.

On her back was a rucksack full of maps, food, water, drachma, things to sharpen her knife with, a small first aid kit in case anyone did get hurt and some foul smelling perfume that (hopefully) would mask their scent to make monsters back off a little.

Taking questions deep breath, Annabeth looked towards the door and then back to her bed. She could just jump in and forget this idea entirely, but she couldn't. She wouldn't. Percy needed her.

She smiled slightly and ran out of the door, as quick and silent as death. And just as dangerous.

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Knocking on the door to Piper's cabin (Aphrodite, much to Piper's dismay), Annabeth waited with a racing mind and fearless heart. She wasn't afraid, she was excited. The door opened a crack and Piper looked out with a dazed expression.

It was no shock that Piper had answered the door. She'd either suspected that Annabeth would be coming after she'd ran from the campfire or she was the only one who would answer because the other Aphrodite girls needed their 'beauty sleep.'

As Piper recognized who was at the door, she didn't even reply before she nodded and dashed back inside to get ready. Annabeth one st hat Piper would hurry as much as she could, but Annabeth also didn't like being out here in plain sight. Not that it was easy to spot her in the darkness and early morning fog.

A few minutes later, Piper came out dressed in a dark pair of washed out jeans, a loose purple T-Shirt and a pair of dark boots. She carried a black leather rucksack that was similar to Annabeth's and Katoptris was sheathed at her side.

Not only was Piper one of Annabeth's best friends, but she was also quite powerful no matter how hard she tried to deny it. She could charmspeak almost anyone into doing anything.

Without saying much, Annabeth nodded to Piper and ran for another cabin. "Explain later?" Piper said quietly as they ran. Annabeth nodded again and stopped outside the Hades cabin. She knocked.

The door swung open to reveal a very annoyed looking Nico. He looked them up and down and then sighed with a slight shake of his head. "Come in, I guess." Annabeth smiled at the fact that they didn't have to wait in plain view now that Nico's cabin was empty and went inside.

It was dark. But a comforting darkness, in a way. The walls were painted black with a few torches hanging on the walls, two turned on giving the room an orange glow. One walk was covered in ancient greek writing, etched into the wall like hieroglyphics carved into a pyramid. The floor was dark wood and had scratches and a few dust bunnies on it from not much use.

There were a few bunks pushed up against one wall and a golden metal skull on the back of the door, eyes empty but something was watching them. The room was strange but Annabeth wondered why she'd ever been wary of it. Nothing in this room scared her any more than Nico did himself. And there was some level of fear, but not a lot.

Nico shut the door and then turned to face the girls with his arms crossed. "Why are you here?" His voice was quiet but stern and made Annabeth shuffle her feet. "What are you doing?"

Annabeth stood straighter. "I'm going after Percy." She looked around. "And I need you two to come with me. Please."

Piper bought Katoptris out and started fiddling with the edge of the blade. "Annabeth, do you know how dangerous this is? I understand that you want Percy back, I want him back too, but are you sure about this?"

She hadn't let herself think about the consequences much. If it meant saving Percy, then a little pain and danger was worth it. Percy's life was worth everything. "He would do the same thing for me. Besides, we already have a prophecy and it doesn't mention death." Nico raised a brow. "And Percy is still alive. He's still out there. After all he's done for us, we can't just give up on him."

There was a slight bite to her words but Annabeth no longer cared. She would save Percy, one way or another. Nico sighed, "But the prophecy does mention a shield which could mean a war." Annabeth glared, daring him to challenge her. "Fine, what's a little danger anyways?"

From beside her, Piper smiled. "Then I guess I'm in, too." Annabeth grinned and turned to Nico's dresser, she sorted through it for a few seconds before pushing some clothes in front of him.

"Hurry, we don't have long until everyone wakes up." Nico nodded, though he looked a bit annoyed that she was going through his stuff. He picked up the clothes and went into a separate room to change.

A few minutes later, he came out dressed in black trousers, a black T-Shirt and dark converse. Nico looked at the shadows lurking in the corners of his cabin and smirked as he faced Annabeth and Piper. "Ready?"

Nodding, they took Nico's hands and were consumed by the shadows.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter Ten

 **Oh, we're in the double digits chapter wise already. When did that happen? Huh. Guess I must've fallen asleep.**

 **So what's everyone's thoughts on that instagram account? Yay or neigh? Lemme know :)**

 **ImpossibleThings12 Haha, I know. It does sound nice. And yeah, rebellious Annabeth is the BEST THING EVA! Woo! Haha :)**

 **LizCraft I'm sorry *hands you a glass of water* are you okay now? Haha**

 **In this chappie, we're going to find out what happened to poor old Percy... I tend to say that a lot. Oops?**

 **I hope you all enjoy this chapter 3**

 **Love you all!**

 ***Virtual Hugs***

 **Ro x**

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Bracing his hands against the cold metal of the toilet, Percy vomited up everything he had eaten in the past year. Or, at least, that was what it felt like.

He didn't know what happened. He'd woken in the cell with a pounding headache and it had been a struggle to stand and stumble the few feet to the toilet before he was sick. Percy wasn't sure how that was possible, he hadn't eaten anything in two days.

Gods, he hadn't eaten anything in two days. All he'd had was a small sip of the water in his cell. Then, he remembered nothing. Well, after that icy needle had punctured through his skin, Percy remembered passing out and then waking up a few hours later, taking a sip of the water and then fainting again.

Groaning, Percy stood on shaking legs and flushed the contents of toilet away. He ached all over. He wasn't even sure how long he had been here. Was everyone back at camp okay?

Closing his eyes, Percy remembered that Hecate girl. He hadn't known her personally, hadn't even known that she'd existed until Klea told him, but, every time he thought about her, Percy felt something inside of him snap and splinter.

That girl hadn't even been claimed yet. She would never know if she was Greek or Roman, she would never get to feel the uncanny wave of emotions you felt when you were finally claimed and finally got the answers you'd been begging for your entire life. She would never get to train with her friends, never get to pick a weapon of her own. She would never get to have a life.

What had they done to her? Tortured her until she could no longer move and then stripped her of her powers, of any sense of ever feeling like she knew her mother? Percy shivered in the coldness of the room and glanced up at Klea.

Throughout this whole little show of his, Klea hadn't said a word. She'd glanced towards him when he had woken up but hadn't spared him a look after that. It was almost like she'd expected it.

Collapsing onto the ground on the other side of the room, Percy looked at the glass of water. Still full, he'd only taken a few sips. He wanted nothing more than to drink all of it now. But he shouldn't, he wouldn't. Percy would save it and use it as a source of his power when he was too weak to use the water that lived inside of him.

When he slid down to the floor, Klea raised a dark brow with a cold, calculating look. Percy remembered that night in the woods when he'd wondered who, out of the two of them, was the prey and who was the predator. The more time he spent here, the more that question was starting to look a little clearer.

Percy heard the uneven footsteps of a hoof and metal. There was another Kampe. Percy rested his head against the wall behind him, how many of them were here? Where was here?

If Percy were going to escape, he would need to know a lot more than he did now. He didn't know how long he'd been here, he didn't know where here was, he didn't know what was going to happen to him. He didn't know anything.

A Kampe came into view, slowly walking down the corridor to his cell but her steps were full of purpose. Percy would've looked at her and tried to see if she was any threat or if she could help him get out, but everything was fuzzy and disoriented and the very thought of moving made Percy want to puke again.

He heard the new Kampe and Klea speak in hushed tones. As they spoke, Percy couldn't help but think of everyone back at camp. Any sound in this endless silence that hammered around his cell sounded like one of the many campfires back at Camp Half-Blood.

The memory of camp's last campfire was still so fresh in his mind but it felt like lifetimes ago. The smell of burning wood and roasted marshmallows and sea salt mixing together and smelling like home. Percy remembered watching the smoke drift up and pattern the night sky with swirls and twists.

Annabeth had been by his side, his arm around her shoulders. She'd looked up and watched the smoke stain the sky and had watched the world slowly drift past them, she'd said something about how smoke in the sky could mean so many things. A night after the end of a war, or after a war had begun, or a night full of kisses and fireworks and new beginnings on New Years Eve, or a night like that, full of friends and laughter and camp stories.

It had been such an Annabeth thing to say that Percy had had to marvel at her. To see things in such a beautiful, delicate way and then say that some might see it as a night after war. She was funny like that, always seeing the world in two different ways.

Klea turned to face Percy. "I need to go somewhere for a moment." She faced the other Kampe with a sly grin. "Don't get any wise ideas."

Wise... wise girl. His wise girl. Annabeth. Where was she? Was she okay? Was she worried for him? No, Annabeth wouldn't waste time doing things like that. She'd make a plan. If they'd even noticed that Percy was missing.

Not even getting a chance to reply, Klea and the other Kampe walked away. Percy waited five minutes before he started to make his moves.

Nobody was going to lock him away and try to harm his friends without Percy getting a say in it. He stood from the floor abruptly, ignoring the nausea climbing up and threatening to render him unconscious.

First, Percy reached through the bars and tried to fiddle with the lock. He wasn't sure if there were cameras anywhere, he didn't really care. The metal rattled but, annoyingly, to no avail.

Then, Percy's eyes caught on the glass of water. He smiled. If he could push enough of the weight of the water against the walls or bars, would they snap? It was worth a try.

Percy closed his eyes and thought about water. He imagined the sea roaring and crashing amongst the waves, he imagined the foamy waves folding in on each other. He thought about the power flowing through his veins, wrapping itself around his heart. He let the water and power over come him.

There was a wrenching pain in his gut. More so than usual. Percy bit back a scream at the agony and, all of a sudden, the room tilted. Percy fell back against the wall and let loose a scream as the pain intensified. Dark and yellow spots clouded his vision.

 _Do not pass out,_ he told himself. _Do not pass out._

The pain was unbearable. It was in every inch of him now. Percy's knees collapsed to the ground with a sickening thud. The water was torturing him, he realised. Turning against him. The water was flowing above his skin, two millimetres or so, and it's touch burned.

It was controlling him, not him controlling it.

He had no control. Percy screamed again as the feeling of nausea made him want to pass out. Percy decided that it was no use in fighting, he wouldn't win.

So Percy stopped fighting. And he closed his eyes.

 **I don't really like this chapter, it's not the best. But I'll edit the hell out of it once the story is completed, haha.**

 **Let me know what you all thought!**

 **I love you all! ***

 **Virtual Hugs***

 **Ro x**


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter Eleven

 **Haha, The Maze Runner is coming in the post today. I may have a problem... ba, we all have problems with reading.**

 **Anyway, REVIEWS! I love them, you guys make me laugh :)**

 **ImpossibleThings12 Haha, what can I say? With Percy in a cell, it means more blue cookies for me ;) Don't tell him I said that... shh, its a secret**

 **Strawberrygirl2000 Awe thank you :) and haha, let's all just have Ricktitis together. We could join and we would be unstoppable, haha. Thanks, here have some too (freshly out the oven ;) ) (::) (::) (::) (::) (::) (::) (::)**

 **Thrawn13 I'm not sure but I like torture him, haha. Sorry Percy, but it's true. And I don't know, I thought it was a species like *shrugs* dog, or something like that. Hahaha. And that's a good guess, but you'll have to wait and see ;)**

 **The-Excess-Dream Haha, I read Twilight last year and couldn't help but put that in there :)**

 **Okay, who's excited for this chapter? Me! Why? Because things shall get explained and, again, it's a Percy chapter! Yay!**

 **Hope you like it :)**

 **I love you all!**

 ***Virtual Hugs***

 **Ro x**

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Waking up feeling sick, Percy grabbed at his head which pounded a thousand times every second passed. He groaned as the memories came flooding back. What a stupid idea it had been. Percy could imagine Annabeth scolding him for flooding the last of his strength to try to escape.

But that wasn't supposed to happen. Percy was the son of Poseidon, he could control water. And hurricanes and earthquakes and storms when he managed though he had not yet perfected them and they did not come as easily as the water.

Still, Percy didn't know what had happened. How it could of happened. He groaned as the nausea came back and his head pounded again at that small noise. Had he just picked up the flu? Or was it because he had had little to eat and drink? Or was it something a lot more dangerous than that?

His mind flashed to that needle digging deep into his skin and the icy sensation of it flowing through his veins and travelling inside of him, settling into his bones. Percy had never found out what that needle contained and he'd been shot with it a few times already.

Oh, he was _such_ an idiot! They'd been injecting him and he hadn't even spent two seconds thinking of what it might be. Percy closed his eyes, Annabeth would spend a week pointing out all of his mistakes whilst being here.

That was, if he ever got out. Percy snapped his eyes shut. He would not thing like that. He couldn't afford to think like that. He would get out, he wouldn't rot away in this cell. Percy would find a way out even if he died in the process he could at least know that he hadn't just sat by and waited.

There was the sound of rattling keys and metal against metal. The lock of his cell twisting and being opened. He opened his eyes, stood despite all the pain wracking his body, and reached for Riptide. The sword looked to be too bright in the darkness of his cell and it felt too heavy in his hands, awkward and bulky.

Something was very wrong with him. If Percy couldn't even manage to hold Riptide and fight for his friends safety then that was a very dark day indeed. He felt his heart lurch and twist painfully, something was happening to him. And he could not stop it.

Klea stood outside, one hand on her hip and the other holding a steel circle of small keys. One of them just of belonged to the young Hecate girl's cell. The usual anger and sorrow unfolded inside of him at the thought of that poor Hecate girl. She'd been so young, younger than twelve probably if she had not yet been claimed.

No, Percy couldn't afford to think about all the horrid, disgusting things these people had done. They weren't people. They were monsters made for ruthless jobs and bred to serve those who were cruel enough to do things like this. Klea raised a brow at his sword, "No. She will not like that at all."

Her eyes flicked to the half empty glass of water and she frowned a little. Who she was, Percy had no idea. But he put Riptide away, he didn't want to waste strength and time fighting useless battles like getting to keep Riptide out.

The shadows in the corners of the room rippled and Percy thought that he could hear voices. Cold, twisted, scratching, quiet voices like the hissing of Medusa's snakes. But he was just being paranoid, Klea could manipulate the shadows. Not make them speak.

Ignoring the strange feeling, Percy stood and silently hoped that he would not trip or collapse. He'd never live it down and, with how much he was shaking and how the world kept tilting dizzingly, if he went down, Percy wouldn't be able to get back up.

He supposed that that sentence could work for a lot of things. If he thought about how hopeless and powerless he was in this situation, Percy would give up there and then and fall down and down and down. And, even if he were one day saved, he would never be able to get back up to who he once was.

Shaking his head, Percy pushed those thoughts away. It was no good thinking about things like that now, not when the answers he'd been looking for were so close. He stepped out of the cell and Klea banged and locked the door closed as they then walked away from it.

As they stepped further and further away, Percy realised that he could never manage to escape. Not without a map. The place was huge. Walls of steel pushed up against the outside world, stair ways zigzagging up and down and left and right.

It was all too much to take in. The labels on the doors didn't help, either. Words like battle preparation and weapons hall were scrawled across tall metal doors. They walked for at least five minutes before Klea went down a deserted hallway with no shadows to be found.

Percy gulped. There was a door made of solid gold forced into the metal walls. It looked out of place in the dingy, dark hallway. Klea, who didn't look as startled as Percy did, pushed open the door and walked inside, beckoning Percy to join her.

Compared to what was inside, Klea looked and acted like an absolute saint. The walls were made of gold with ancient greek carvings etched into them. Percy didn't dare try to read them, he could feel the power of those words beating inside the room like a heartbeat.

At the end of the room was two marble steps that were as wide as the wall they were secured to. On top was a large golden vase. In height, it reached just under the height of a door frame and Percy realised now just how large the room was. It was wide at the top and slowly thinned out towards the bottom like a Japanese fan. There were carvings decorating the gold vase. Ancient words and forgotten myths and powerful stories.

Coming out at the top of the vase was dust in the colour of gold. It looked like golden dust but in came and flowed around the room in ribbons and there were at least twenty of them, all looping around and around the room.

Reaching out to touch one of them just to see if he hadn't gone insane, Klea snapped his hand back and rolled her eyes. "You must not disturb it. Not when she sleeps."

Again with that she. Who was she? Percy swallowed and ignored the ache in his head as he asked, "Who is she?"

Klea grinned and bought out a knife that Percy hadn't seen before. It was slim and arched and could probably do some serious damage. The blade itself was white with black scratches and a wooden hilt that fitted perfectly in Klea's hand. She twirled the knife and stepped up the marble steps as she ran the blade lightly in the carvings of the vase. "The earth mother."


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter Twelve

 **Ah, just couldn't leave you with a sorta, kinda, cliff hanger like that for more than a few hours. So it's update time! :)**

 **LizCraft I already sent you a PM but I'm gonna thank you again so thank you! :) haha**

 **Strawberrygirl2000 Haha, *furiously pours five bottles of blue food dye into milk* IT LOOKS PURPLE, DOES IT LOOK PURPLE TO YOU? Bah, what do I do now? Hm.**

 **Let's get on with the show, shall we? And next to me is The Maze Runner and I'm scared to read it, I don't think I can take anymore feels...**

 **Love you all!**

 ***Virtual Hugs***

 **Ro x**

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Percy's knees threatened to collapse underneath him. Klea had said it like it was the most casual thing in the world. The earth mother... he'd only ever heard stories from Annabeth and the other campers. Occasionally, he'd overheard Chiron and Mr D talk about her in hushed tones in the darkness of the big house, but it'd never been loud enough for Percy to be able to understand.

As Klea's knife ran along the last cut in the vase, the ribbons of gold dust started to whisper like the stars speaking wishes. They started out quiet and sleepy, as if whoever spoke them had slept or had not had contact with the world for a millennia. Then, as time seemed to slow, the voice grew stronger and louder until it bounced off the walls and hammered in Percy's ear drums.

Thinking back to a time where he was not trapped in a cell, Percy tried to remember what Annabeth and everyone else had called her. The earth mother and... something else.

Klea whispered some quiet words that Percy didn't understand and had no idea where he would start if he were to ever repeat them. Then, the whispers merged into one voice, one set of words. Percy shuddered.

Whoever the earth mother was, whatever species she was made from, whatever kind of monstrous destiny she was made to fulfil, Percy realised that she must of been incredibly powerful and dangerous to have these monsters make this big a deal of her.

He tried to concentrate, tried to hear the voice above the pounding in his head and sickness in his stomach. Klea bowed to the vase, murmuring more sweet words that Percy couldn't hear and didn't want to know and, as she rose from her deep bow, she cast a look towards Percy.

A look that was so condescending and powerful and manipulative and brutal and cold and harsh and angered and cruel all at the same time. Percy wasn't sure how many times Klea had lived, how many times she'd come back from the living heart of Tartarus but he knew one thing for sure: Klea had lived for a long time, perhaps a longer time then Percy could even begin to decipher and she had seen things and heard things that had turned her into this thing stood in front of him.

There and then Percy realised that in some strange, twisted way, Klea was a hero. A hero meant that someone would die for what they believe in and that they would try to save others in the process, too. Not all heroes could be angels, not all heroes were be on and bred to fight on the right side. And that dark, unusual way of looking at things was actually something rather remarkable.

Eyes widening, the pounding in his head became silent and bearable and the fuzziness of his mind slowly started to clear. The voice was speaking to him, he realised. The voice was blowing away the fog. What Gaea wanted to do with Percy, he had no idea -

 _Gaea._

That was who the earth mother was. Gaea. All the stories and nights spent with Annabeth as she told every ancient Greek tale and all the hurried eavesdropped conversations Percy had heard all came flooding back.

As his head and pain finally cleared (or so, it became tolerable), Percy focused harder on the voice until he heard only one sentence, playing over and over again. Recited like a long forgotten piece of poetry. "The son of the earth shaker has fallen to the earth mother. The son of the earth shaker has fallen to the earth mother."

Hadn't Klea and the shadows said similar words that night in the forest? Percy felt Riptide brush against his skin in his pocket. It burned, waiting to he uncapped and used. But Percy would wait, as much as that thought annoyed him. Percy's eyes flicked to Klea and he said in a low, commanding, strong voice that he had never heard himself use. "Explain. Explain everything and don't leave a single thing out."

Through the gold dusted ribbons, Gaea laughed. A deep, wicked thing that sent Percy's skin crawling. "You have certain requests, young hero. But I shall honour them." Klea was silent. "You have power. More power than you know. And, in a way that I cannot tell you, we will extract that power. Just like that little Hecate girl. And we shall use it as our own."

Her words were low and cruel and proud. It made Percy sick. Gaea was proud... of this? "Your friends will come looking for you. For they cannot survive without you. The hero. And when they come, we'll do the same thing that we have done to you. Then, an army shall rise and we, the creatures of shadows and nightmares and monsters, will rule."

The entire thing was so well thought out, so perfectly executed. But there was one flaw in Gaea's plan. Percy would never bow to her. His fatal flaw was loyalty, he'd never give up on his friends. Even when they had tortured him and he was on the brink of death and insanity, there would always be a part of him who fought against the darkness.

"Never." Percy growled and, without a thought, uncapped Riptide. The sword looked to match the ribbons of gold flowing around the room and, at its appearance, Gaea chuckled.

It made Percy mad. So mad that he felt the water from the plumbing surge with his furiously changing emotions. But he knew better then to try to use his powers. Especially after what happened before.

Then, Percy was forcefully being pushed out the room. So fast and violently and hurried, he didn't even have time to fully understand what was happening. As he was pushed into his cell, Percy whipped around with Riptide in hand, ready to strike.

Klea hissed, "Stupid, _stupid_ hero. Do you not pay attention to the rules? There is a hierarchy and we must abide to it. Ugh!" Klea stomped her foot, drew out her blade and flung it and the opposite wall. It landed, embedded into the wall with a sickening crunch.

Percy ignored her, his eyes catching on the half empty glass of water in his cell. He no longer cared about saving it. It was clear that he wouldn't try to use his powers again any time soon. Percy picked up the glass and chugged it down in one gulp.

The water didn't taste like normal water. It was thick and fizzing and burning. Percy put it down to it just being in the room for so long. There was the sound of shattering glass as the glass in Percy's hand fell to the ground as all of his pain came back, crashing over him like a tidal wave.

He slid to the ground, his hands quivering. The last thing Percy saw before blacking out was Klea, grinning darkly.

 **Oooh, can you guess where I'm going with this? Does the prophecy make any more sense now?**

 **"Powers that are too great to wield,**

 **Shall be used as a shield.**

 **A hero must fall**

 **And with him, so will all."**

 **Let me know what you thought!**

 **I love you all!**

 ***Virtual Hugs***

 **Ro x**


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter Thirteen

 ***Waves* Helloooooo, I can speak like a whaaaaale.**

 **Ahem, I'll stop.**

 **And yay! We got so many reviews! Haha :)**

 **Strawberrygirl2000 Hehe, yay! I'll pop to the shop for some Dam milk now ;)**

 **ImpossibleThings12 I'm sorry, haha thank you :)**

 **LizCraft Haha *blows dust off of computer* Who needs feelings anyways? And thank you! :)**

 **Okay all of you lovely people, let's get this show on the road! Now this may be the only update today because I have a wedding to go to (not my own, if it were then Percy would be tied up in my basement and I'd throw my bouquet so Will or Nico) but I wanted to get at least one chapter out today :)**

 **Hope you enjoy it!**

 **I love you all!**

 ***Virtual Hugs***

 **Ro x**

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Annabeth trudged along the muddy, barely visible, filth covered path of the forest with aching, heavy muscles. Three days had passed since the three of them (Nico, Piper and herself) had left camp and Annabeth would be lying if she said that it didn't bring up old memories.

They hadn't ran away from camp, not really. But every time Annabeth's mind went back to the night they'd left, the memory of the night she'd left home came flooding back. The fear, the sense of stupidity that she had just been over reacting and the unknown lurking around in every corner felt just the same as it always had done.

A twisting, sick feeling in the pit of her stomach that triggered her heart to beat rapidly which made her hands shake which made her mind race to think about all the awful possibilities and things that could happen. Or had already happened.

It certainly didn't help that, though they were nothing alike in looks and personality, Annabeth kept mistaking Nico for Luke and Piper for Thalia. But that was just silly, completely and utterly ridiculous.

Thalia was headstrong and stubborn and quick-witted. But, when she loved someone or something, she loved and cared for them deeply like the relationship had been burned into her very core. And she was loyal and funny in ways that was just so completely... Thalia.

Not that Piper wasn't any of those things. Oh no, Annabeth loved Piper like a best friend but she loved Thalia like a sister. Piper was brave but she believed otherwise, she thought that she was a burden because that was what she'd been told her entire life whilst growing up. Modest.

Luke. Annabeth's head felt light as all the confusing feelings and emotions and thoughts came bubbling back up like lava from a volcano. He was like a big brother to her; she'd grew up with him and Thalia, they were siblings by blood or not. But that was all Annabeth would ever feel for Luke.

Him and Nico were nothing alike. Thalia and Piper had had a little piece of them in common but that was not the same with Luke and Nico. Annabeth didn't really know Nico that well. She didn't even really know where to begin if she were ever to describe or try to explain him. He was a puzzle that was locked away, if you managed to get the lock, you'd still have to find a way to piece him together.

Groaning, Annabeth looked back at the two. Three days and they hadn't been able to find a motel or anywhere like that where they could sleep, and they certainly would not risk sleeping outside. Not when the shadows could be hiding dangerous things, not when there were people who were out there hunting them. Just waiting for when they were alone, just like Percy had been.

Percy had been gone for five days. Annabeth's stomach lurched as she staggered up the hill in the humid summer air. She still felt no closer to finding him then when she'd been back at camp. She didn't want to even begin to imagine what they were doing to him, what they would do to him if they didn't find him soon.

Casting all thoughts of Percy away since Annabeth needed to keep her head in the game, she stopped walking and tilted her head towards the sky. Dusk had long since passed and that purple coloured sky hung heavily over them, freckled with glistening stars. The forest was quiet, only the causal hoot of an owl, snap of a twig or song of a bird and their own footsteps whispered between the trees.

If the same thing that took Percy was planning on taking them, too, then now would be a good time to do it. They were all tired, exhausted even, aching from walking non-stop and were in absolutely no shape for a battle. Annabeth let out a long sigh, her eyes catching on Nico as he and Piper stumbled to catch up with her.

Nico looked like he was going to pass out any second. Annabeth couldn't even begin to imagine how tired he was, the three of them had been shadow traveling quite a lot and, with only one person, it was hard. But three? And the most sleep they'd all gotten was an hour at best. He must've been right about ready to drop. And he looked it, too.

"This is ridiculous." Annabeth stated, kicking the mud with her foot. In the dark, she could hardly see a thing. The last thing they needed was for one of them to get an injury. "Let's stop. We're all tired, let's just try again in the morning. It will do us all good to get some rest."

As Piper came up to the end of the hill, Nico slumping against a tree a few yards away from them, her feet caught on a root. Annabeth gasped, reaching out to grab a hold of her before she fell, but all Annabeth grabbed was a fist full of air. Piper yelled, pushing her hands out in front of her to cushion her fall, but as her skin came into contact with the ground, there was a loud, metal thud.

Piper, still on the ground and brushing off the dirt from her skin, looked up at Annabeth with wide eyes. "Wha-?" Annabeth interrupted her words by stomping her foot on the ground where Piper had fallen. The same metal thud echoed in the woods.

Annabeth grinned though worry was causing a hurricane to burn and thrash inside of her. She wanted, no, _needed_ , to know what this thing was. Even if it was a coffin of bones. She dropped to the ground and furiously begun clearing away the mud and leaves and stones and twigs with her fingers. "Help me." She pleaded.

The daughter of Aphrodite nodded and, as well, started to push away the thick layers of filth that coated the forest floor. Nico, who was still leaning against the tree but looking more alert and intrigued than he had been a few seconds ago, stared in silence.

Pushing away more and more, Annabeth found a steel metal handle. She looked towards Piper and saw her, mouth open in shock, looking at a panel of steel. "Is that what I think it is?" Annabeth whispered, afraid that if she spoke too loud, something or someone would find them.

Nodding and speaking in the same quiet tone, Piper smiled. "It is. It's a trapped door."

 **Oh, to leave you on a cliff hanger like that and not update until tomorrow! Argh, I'm sorry.**

 **Well, I've got a wedding to go to so... wish me luck :/**

 **Haha, let me k ow what you thought!**

 **Love you all!**

 ***Virtual Hugs***

 **Ro x**


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter Fourteen

 **Well, I have been and gone to the wedding which was fun. Haha :)**

 **I can't believe how many reviews we've got, it's insane! You guys are incredible 3**

 **ImpossibleThings12 Thank you :) and yeah, auto correct and my thumbs missing alerts are a bitch, haha. Once the story is completed, I'll edit it all through but thanks for pointing it out :)**

 **Strawberrygirl2000 Thanks, haha. The sarcasm is real, you couldn't cut it with a knife. Haha, I love ya and your reviews too and yeah! I almost forgot! *Spits crumbs out whilst furiously trying to shake them out of hair* I'm sorry, were we supposed to share? Here, (::) (::) (::) (::) (::)**

 **Fellowbookreader Haha, thank you so much :)**

 **We ended on a cliff hanger last time so let's get this show up and running, woo!**

 **Love you all!**

 ***Virtual Hugs***

 **Ro x**

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Nodding and speaking in the same quiet tone, Piper smiled. "It is. It's a trapped door."

The breath knocked out of Annabeth entirely. She gasped, both in shock and to try and catch her fading breath. The steel door buried in the ground throbbed, begging to be opened. Annabeth pressed her back up against the tree.

Maybe it was the fact that Annabeth was the daughter of Athena or maybe it was because her curiosity was too much for her to handle but whatever it was, Annabeth felt herself aching to go inside like an addiction.

Two sides of her were battling for control. The one side where she was the daughter of the wisdom Goddess and thought through every aspect of her life and always had a plan. She said that this was a bad idea; they were tired and confused and it was dark and were in absolutely no shape whatsoever to fight. Or, at least, fight and come out victorious.

Though the other side of Annabeth, the side of her that was always bought out by Percy with his childlike yet perfectly unusual way of looking at things, said that it was okay. That it was okay to not know everything.

Biting her lip, Annabeth realised something. Since Percy had been gone, she'd been acting more and more like him. First, she'd ran from camp. Then, she'd ceased to stop going until Percy was safe. And then, finally, she'd stumbled across this door and wanted to go in, despite what the consequences may be.

She couldn't decide if that was a bad thing or not. Sure, she'd always been jealous of Percy and everyone else (though she'd never admit it). Annabeth had been envious of the fact that they could embrace the unknown and have no fear over doing things that hadn't been properly thought out.

But Annabeth would be lying if she said that she didn't like the way she was. It was what made her smart, what made her survive all these years spent alone in the shadows of other demigods, of heroes, it was what made her Percy's Wise Girl.

Would it be the worst thing in the world if Annabeth went against all of that? If she did what she felt was right e enough if others disagreed with her? They'd found this door in the middle of the woods when they were just about to give up all hope. It had to mean something.

Besides, what if this was where Percy was? What if that, just a few metres underground, Percy was there, fighting and waiting. A thought struck her mind as the words squeezed her heart into a knot, she exhaled sharply and shook her head slowly.

Five days. Underground. Percy had been taken for five days where they were doing who knew what to him and he had seen no sunlight. Probably no light at all. Annabeth closed her eyes and pictured him down there, alone in those cruel hearted shadows...

No. No, Annabeth _would_ go inside. She would. Even if it killed her, she'd go inside and die protecting Nico and Piper and, if she shouted loud enough and if he was actually down there, Annabeth would shout for Percy and he'd be so fuelled with hope that he'd continue to fight. He would never stop fighting.

The plan was so sure and solid in her mind that Annabeth stood and hovered over the door anxiously though her mind was at perfect ease with her decision. "What shall we do?" Piper asked, coming to stand next to her. "Do we go down?"

Katoptris shined in Piper's hand, poised to strike at a second's warning. Piper stood with such certainty, it was hard to imagine all of the insecurities flying around her head. Her trousers were covered in mud and were ripped in certain places along with her top. Her dark chocolate brown hair was matted and stiff with grease but her eyes shone with a fire that Annabeth had to admire and she held herself with such... confidence.

As worried and insecure about herself being a burden, a dead weight, Annabeth had to give her marvell at her. Piper would do just about anything to save her friends and her stance showed that she was always looking out, always waiting.

Annabeth shrugged and ran her fingers along the steel panel. "I don't know." She looked towards Nico with a frown. "I guess anything is worth a shot." She looked up. "Shall we?"

Piper grinned and Nico came to move next to them. Annabeth placed her fingers around the cold metal of the handle. Her fingers were encased there by Nico's own pale ones and then, they were all clinging a hold of the handle, each secured by the other's hand. "On three?" Annabeth whispered, her breath fogging up the air in front of her. How that was possible, she didn't know. It was the high of summer!

"One." Piper murmured, her voice clear of any charmspeak. But, even without it, her voice was soft and embracing and strong and beautiful. Maybe it was an Aphrodite thing, or maybe it was just Piper.

Nico, who could hardly stand upright without doubling over in exhaustion, mumbled, "Two." Even though it was heavy with sleep, Annabeth could hear the strength and coldness in his voice. The voice that marked him as The Ghost King.

She herself whispered the final word. "Three." And, together, they pulled open the door and fell through the darkness.

It stank like metal and rust and blood. Annabeth gasped for a breath of pure air because, down here, each breath stung her lungs like poison. Darkness encased them, folding around them and weaving itself into their clothes, their bones.

Nobody came out of here without that darkness still lingering inside of them.

When Annabeth's eyes finally adjusted, what she saw shock her. Flooding the halls were at least five Kampes and over ten, massive, full grown lions. Watching them. They had been waiting for them to tumble down through the door.

Annabeth gulped and raised her knife, ready to fight for everything her life was worth. But, before she could even say a word, there was a pinch in her neck and then, one by one, her muscles started to loosen.

A tranquilizer dart.

Struggling to see and move and speak as the injection sank into her veins, Annabeth saw Piper and Nico collapse to the floor, a needle in their own necks. Knowing that her friends would not be left to fight alone, Annabeth succumbed to the drug.

And let the darkness take her.


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter Fifteen

 **I've been very excited to write this chapter so I'm gonna make this quick :)**

 **LizCraft Haha, Gaea ruins everything. Boo! And that's a very good guess, but you'll just have to wait and see. Thank you :)**

 **ImpossibleThings12 I'm sorry! Haha, thank you and I hope you get better soon :)**

 **Right let's do this thing! Enjoy ;)**

 **Love you all!**

 ***Virtual Hugs***

 **Ro x**

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Waking up, Annabeth felt bleary eyed and disoriented. She groaned and clutched at her hair, trying to remember what had happened. Something was cold and hard beneath her palms; metal.

All the memories came flooding back like a tsunami over a brick wall. Finding the door in the middle of the woods, going through and seeing all of the kampes and lions.

Lions. Annabeth gasped. Lions had attacked camp and nobody knew why. Was it because that, whoever was in control of all of this, had the power to manipulate animals? Lions would be a perfect fit for an army, they were strong and loyal and frightening. Their claws, if used properly, could rib almost anything to shreds.

As her bleary and unfocused eyes started to clear, Annabeth took in the room. All made of the same steel metal of the trapped door, the actual room was quite large but it was divided into four small cells with bars and a lock on one, front facing, wall. There was little light, Annabeth's eyes would get used to the darkness but she never would.

It was like a cage for wild animals. Only, the wild animals, in this case, seemed to be in control.

Her eyes flew open with a short gasp. Piper and Nico. She remembered seeing them on the ground with the tranquilizer darts in their necks, what had they done to them after that? Were they to be caged in as well, or were they to be tortured for answers?

Through the darkness, Annabeth could see a figure hunched over in the cell next to her, on her left, throwing up in a crude looking metal toilet. From the broadnesss of their shoulders and strength of their bent over frame, Annabeth had to guess that this person was male.

He was definitely tall and, even in the darkness, Annabeth could see the straining muscles in his bare, bloodied arms as he grasped the toilet with each heave. His hair was black and messy like he'd run his fingers through it a thousand times whilst trying to think. Annabeth blinked, he wore a pair of black jeans covered in mud and dried crimson blood and a dark navy blue T-Shirt. His skin was pale and covered in dirt and blood and bruises, but, even though she could hardly see, she'd know this person anywhere.

Percy Jackson. Her Seaweed Brain. Annabeth felt faint from the relief that swelled through her, Percy was okay. Or, at least, he was alive and within her reach. Tears built up in her grey, storm cloud coloured eyes but she wouldn't cry. She was stronger than crying.

What monstrous things must they of done to him to make him like this? He wretched again and Annabeth flinched. She could do nothing to help him, she couldn't run her fingers through his hair or rub his back or give him any level of comfort or security. And it broke her heart.

So Annabeth did the one thing that she could do. She would try to comfort him with words. Annabeth cleared her throat, forgetting about everything and just focusing solely on him. "Percy," she breathed with a small, sad smile. "Percy I'm here, it's Annabeth. I'm here, you're okay. You're okay, we're all going to be okay. We're all going to get out of here, I promise."

Her words broke off with a crack, she sniffed. They must of done something horrible to him. Annabeth felt guilt rise up in her throat, those words seemed like such lies. Was everything going to be okay?

But at the sound of her words, Percy's taut muscles seemed to relax, even though it was just a little. Annabeth looked around and saw Nico and Piper in the other two remaining cells, staring at Percy and Annabeth with wide eyes.

Percy's heaving slowed. And then stopped all together. Annabeth felt her lips make a small sigh of relief. Percy collapsed to the ground, bought his knees up to his chest and buried his head in his hands.

Annabeth could see how badly he was shaking, how utterly distraught he was. It was so unlike him to be so worried... five days. And he was already acting like this dark, shadowed, monstrous place was all he had ever known. "No," he murmured. "They weren't supposed to bring you here. You weren't supposed to come here. They're... they'll do the same thing. Repeat and repeat it over and over again and it will never stop, it will never end."

Piper cast Annabeth a confused look. Annabeth frowned, her eyes catching on Nico's slumped figure in his own cell. Asleep. He needed all the rest he could get with that amount of shadow traveling. "Perce," Piper said, her voice carrying itself across the room and weaving in between the steel bars. "Are you okay? What's wrong?"

Slowly, Percy looked up. Annabeth saw tears marking his face and his eyes, once so vibrant and bright and held that cheeky, troublesome glint that Annabeth loved, now looked empty and broken.

He breathed in a shaking breath. "Do you know who's behind all of this?" Annabeth and Piper shook their heads slowly. "Gaea. She's raising an army. The more demigods she takes, the more come looking and the more get trapped here. They have this injection... I don't know what it's called but it makes you faint and wake up sick." He faced Annabeth and, with a shaking, stuttering voice he said, "I can't do this anymore."

It pulled at her heartstrings. Annabeth wanted to reach out and tell him th st it was okay, but she couldn't. Slowly, Annabeth's fingers ran over the small scar in her neck where the tranquilizer dart had shot her. Was it just a tranquilizer dart? "Percy, what did this injection look like?"

The son of Poseidon shrugged. "I-I don't know. Why?" He eyed the scar at her neck. "They've done it to you, too?"

But they couldn't of done it to Annabeth. Nor could they of done it to Piper or Nico. If they had, they would of woken up sick like Percy. Annabeth eyed the empty glass in Percy's cell. "What was in that?" She spoke slowly, fear making her stomach turn over on itself.

Again, Percy shrugged. "I thought it was water. Though it looked fizzy and tasted weird..." his expression slowly turned into recognition and shock. _"Poison."_ He stated. "They've took my powers, just like that young Hecate girl."

Annabeth didn't know what any of that meant, but she heard Piper's gasp and saw the flash of Katoptris as she shoved the blade into the ground over and over. The injection was only a mere tranquilizer dart, the glass of water was the real problem. Percy had been tricked. Percy's eyes started to hold a fire that Annabeth only saw in him when he was in battle. Percy's eyes burned with a fire that was so strong it made Annabeth realise that they could do what they liked to him, it could never stop him from protecting and fighting those who tried to harm his friends.

She bought out her own dagger and started hacking at the bars, just like Piper was doing to the floor. Nico was still unconscious but Annabeth knew that the second he woke, he'd fight and join them. Percy bought out Riptide and started to try to cut through the caged cells.

Nobody was going to harm them. Nobody was going to stop the roaring flames in their hearts. They'd do what they trained for in Camp Half-Blood. They would fight and they'd find a way out of here. The sound of metal against metal echoed throughout the room along with the grunts of heaving at it again and again.

They'd never stop fighting.


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter Sixteen

 **Woo! Percabeth are reunited, but for how long? *Evil laughter* Mwahahaha *chokes on spit***

 **And how many reviews?! SO MANY! I love you guys**

 **LizCraft Haha, we're fangirls so probably never :/ and awe, thank you :)**

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 **Strawberrygirl2000 You're welcome. Haha, I'm sorry! I really try not to be too horrible with cliff hangers... I get a bit carried away. Thank you! :)**

 **FellowBookReader Thank you, I hope you like this chapter! :)**

 **Okay, just a little pre warning, shit is about to go down in this chapter, the next or the next. Don't yell *Hides behind sofa* I'm sorry!**

 **Also, does anyone know if Annabeth's dagger has a name? Like Riptide or Katoptris because I can't remember, haha.**

 **Haha, I love you all!**

 ***Virtual Hugs***

 **Ro x**

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With just as much fire in her heart, her soul, as when she'd started, Annabeth flung her dagger into the steel bars of her cell again and again. In the cell next to hers, Percy leaned against the wall twirling Riptide as a mere ball point pen, his face pulled into a frown.

He might not of had any more fight in him, but Piper and Annabeth weren't ready to give up. Not yet. Piper grunted and whacked Katoptris into the bars again. They'd been doing this for at least two hours and all they had achieved was burning muscles, weak blades and not even a dent.

There was a low groan that made Annabeth jump. Someone moving across from her caught her attention, she stopped hacking at the bars and clutched the dagger tightly in her hands. Another groan. In the darkness, Annabeth could hardly see a thing.

Darkness. Annabeth blinked and dropped her dagger, the blade clattering against the metal. "Nico," she hissed. "You scared the hell out of me."

She heard Percy move away from the wall and saw him, out of the corner of her eye, saw him press himself up against the bars, wrapping his fingers around them. He looked so defeated, so lost. Everything that he hadn't want to happen had happened. Sorrow and anger and desperation spread through Annabeth like the roots of a tree; why did Percy always have to suffer?

Nico's figure was a lot easier to make out now that she knew what was hiding in those shadows. He looked around, and then looked back to Annabeth. "What happened? Where are we?"

Annabeth didn't believe for one second that Nico had fully recovered from all the shadow traveling they'd been doing, but she didn't push it. "I'm not sure." She looked towards Percy with an arched brow. "Something to do with the earth mother, Gaea..."

Her words faltered. Annabeth closed her eyes and stood, walking away from the bars and pressing her forehead against the cool metal of the opposite wall. How could she of not seen it before? Her desperation and longing for answers had made her stupid and idiotic, had made her over look the obvious facts.

Slowly shaking her head, Annabeth heaved an inaudible sigh. The crumpled note on Percy's unmade bed six days ago flashed in her mind. The son of the earth shaker belongs to the earth mother.

It had been talking about Percy, that much she'd gotten right. But the earth mother... that was Gaea. The note actually read: Percy Jackson belongs to Gaea. Like a dog belonging to its master.

Rage flooded through her veins, soaking into her veins like water soaking into a carpet. Annabeth distantly heard Piper ask her if she was okay, but Annabeth was too furious to manage a reply.

She let out a scream that was so full of fury and anger and madness that it sounded gut wrenching even to her own ears. Annabeth whirled around, dagger in hand, and flung it at the bars with all of her strength.

In reality, the blade should of shattered one of the bars. But Annabeth had realised a long, long time ago that, in her life, reality was just a front to hide the unexplainable things lurking beneath the surface.

Uneven footsteps sounded down the hall, coming towards them. Annabeth panted and steeped her dagger up off of the floor. She looked around; Nico was gripping his long, black sword that swirled with shadows, Piper clutched Katoptris and even Percy held Riptide.

"I wouldn't bother with that," spoke a scratchy, horrific voice. Annabeth shuddered and squinted into the darkness, trying to see who could possibly own such a awful voice. A monster, no doubt. "These cells are enchanted."

Percy mumbled something under his breath and Annabeth strained her ears to hear. "That little Hecate girl." She still didn't know who the Hecate girl was.

A Kampe came into view and Annabeth wrapped her fingers tighter around the hilt of her dagger. "Ah," she sighed and breathed in deeply like she was coming home to the smell of freshly baked cookies. "You're all here." She ran a claw along the front of Piper's cell's bars with a grin. "Trapped."

Annabeth looked around, anywhere but into this monster's gaze. "You better start talking." She twirled her dagger in her hands, glaring. She wouldn't go down without a fight, they wouldn't.

The Kampe grinned and stepped closer to Annabeth so their faces were inches apart. "Ask questions, I shall answer. My dear Annabeth, for a child of Athena, you certainly do not know how this game works."

She swallowed and put all of her effort into not looking as intimidated as she felt. "You work for Gaea?" The Kampe nodded. Annabeth thought back to the night they'd found this place and remembered the lions attacking camp. "Why do you use lions to attack?"

Laughing silently, the Kampe moved back. Annabeth had to feel a little triumphant at that, she hadn't flinched away first. "There was a little girl, a daughter of Hecate, who was here before you. Not yet claimed, still confused and thumbling for answers. We did the same thing that we have done to Perseus, stripped her of her powers and taken them us our own. She died, but what's another life in all of eternity? Anyway, we used the powers to make the lions do as we say. And there was some more to spare so two other people, excluding me, got the use of the magic."

The daughter of Athena glared. That was the same Hecate girl Percy kept talking about. Monsters. Inside and out, these people were monsters. Annabeth looked to Percy, worry in her eyes. Had they already taken Percy's powers?

There was the sound of skin smacking against skin as the Kampe clapped her hands together. "Right, I'm bored now. We're done with questions."

Annabeth was about to shake her head and demand that she answer more questions. Annabeth hadn't even got to ask the question that she'd wanted to k 's the answer to most: Why Percy?

But then she saw the Kampe bring out a set of keys and she started to unlock Percy's cell. "What are you doing?" Annabeth asked, her eyes watching the Kampe carefully.

Like it was the most simplest, obvious thing in the world, the Kampe replied, "Gaea wishes to see you all."


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter Seventeen

 **Wow! Within half an hour of posting this chapter, I got notifications for reviews. Honestly, you guys just make my day**

 **Strawberrygirl2000 *Bites lip* Um... see... huh... can I pass on that question? Oh okay, thanks :)**

 **ImpossibleThings12 *Shrugs* I'm sorry and yeah, girl power! Haha, thanks :)**

 **Hope you all enjoy ;)**

 **Love you all!**

 ***Virtual Hugs***

 **Ro x**

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Annabeth tried to keep her heartbeat steady, tried to ignore the panic settling into her like a stone dropping into a pool. She looked around, Percy was shaking and looking like he was about to puke again, Nico looked passed off and ready to collapse at any moment.

Piper and her would have to keep a level head because if they didn't, if they gave up and succumbed to those ruthless shadows, then none of them would ever get out of here. They'd be trapped here, constantly seeking a way out but always surrendering to the darkness.

Besides, if Annabeth was going to do anything, it would be getting everyone out. She'd already messed up by ever thinking of going on a quest without Chiron's knowledge, how she'd dragged Nico and Piper to fight Gaea! Though she tried not to think about that too much, if she did the guilt would take over every inch of her and she couldn't have that. Not when she needed to think of a way out.

Once the four of them were all free from their cells, the Kampe clamped handcuffs onto all of their right wrists, the chain joined together so she could hold them and yank on them like they were her pets.

It took all of her willpower to not run to Percy and run her fingers through his hair and hug him and tell him what an idiot he was. But Annabeth couldn't allow any distractions. Not now. Not if Gaea was in this building and they had a chance to defeat her.

So Annabeth just walked closer to Percy and gave his cold, calloused hand a comforting squeeze. He looked down at her, his eyes so vacant, so empty but she had looked into those sea green eyes a hundred times before and she would a hundred times more; Annabeth knew what that look meant: _Do you have a plan?_

Of course, Annabeth did have a plan. But it was utter madness and there were so many ways for it to go wrong in the worst ways imaginable. She looked Percy up and down and then faced Nico who was next to her, struggling to stand up right.

If Nico got some rest, he'd be able to fight and maybe even raise a few skeletons. But, as they walked further and further away from the cells, Annabeth wasn't sure if there would be such a chance.

And she'd be insane, she'd have to have a bullet inside her, before she let Percy fight. It wasn't that Annabeth was just being over protective, but if Percy did fight in his condition there was the risk of him losing control and making everyone drown.

She sighed quietly and looked to Percy with wide eyes. She would be dead before she ever admitted it but Annabeth was terrified. Percy could probably feel her pulse thump rapidly and hand sweat in his own.

Don't be silly, Annabeth scolded herself. Everything will be fine, you're a daughter of Athena, you're Annabeth Chase and you always have a plan.

Percy had seen Gaea before, Annabeth realised. She could tell by the way he was standing, by the way his eyes kept darting around as if he suspected something to jump out.

With her left hand (and much difficulty), Annabeth reached behind Nico's back and tugged at Piper's shirt. She whipped her head around, eyes wide. "What are you doing?" She mouthed, her eyes constantly looking back to the Kampe.

Annabeth huffed to blow a strand of blonde hair out of her face. "They can't fight," she nodded towards Nico and Percy. "It's just you and me."

Piper frowned and, all of a sudden, they were being roughly pulled down a corridor. Annabeth flinched as the harsh metal dug into her wrist. One step closer to Gaea. She swallowed thickly.

They came to an abrupt stop. Annabeth looked up. In the dark, metal walled corridor, a door was pushed into the right hand wall. It looked like it had been ripped away from a mansion by the sea side and forced into this place. It was pure gold and towered well over six foot, Annabeth noticed now how high the ceilings were.

The Kampe thumbled with the lock for a few seconds before pushing the door open and stepping through, tugging on the chains as she stepped inside. The door slammed behind them.

She had to take a minute and admire the architecture, admire how something so beautiful could be a part of this place of nightmares. But Annabeth wouldn't let herself get distracted. Or not for long, anyway. But there were ribbons of golden dust bouncing off the walls like banners at a birthday party.

In the far corner of the were two marble steps, white and swirling with gold, that looked like they belonged outside a temple in Ancient Greece. At the top stood a large, golden vase that could of easily been taller than Piper. Annabeth squinted at the brightness of the room compared to the cells, and then she saw that the gold was coming from the vase. Annabeth exhaled slowly.

There came a voice, sleepy and enchanting and dark all at once. And with that voice, came a scream that chilled Annabeth her very core.

 **Can you guess who screamed? If you know me, you'll know who screamed ;)**

 **Does the prophecy make any more sense now? Try and solve it:**

 **"Powers that are too great to wield,**

 **Shall be used as a shield.**

 **A hero must fall**

 **And with him, so will all."**

 **Let me know what you thought of this chapter!**

 **I love you all!**

 ***Virtual Hugs***

 **Ro x**


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter Eighteen

 **Oh, I'm sorry for not updating yesterday. It was Easter and I was in London for the day with my family, Happy Easter by the way, I hope that you all got a lot of chocolate ;)**

 **Strawberrygirl2000 Haha, thanks and here *hands a tissue* are you alright now? :)**

 **LizCraft Hehe, I know, I'm evil ;)**

 **FellowBookReader Thank you! Haha :)**

 **ImpossibleThings12 I'm sorry! Bad Ro. *Grins* Can't stop, won't stop and now I have Taylor Swift stuck in my head, huh. :)**

 **Thrawn13 Thanks :)**

 **Enjoy! ;)**

 **I love you all!**

 ***Virtual Hugs***

 **Ro x**

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Annabeth knew that scream. She didn't want to know that scream, she didn't want to recognize the sound at all. In fact, she wanted nothing more then that scream to belong to someone like that young Hecate girl, however selfish that may be.

But she knew deep in her bones that that scream belonged to someone in this room. Annabeth didn't want to admit it to herself, her stomach lurched. She opened her eyes, flinching at the sight she didn't want to see.

As soon as Percy hit the ground, all hell broke loose. Annabeth couldn't help but let out a horrified yelp herself. The golden ribbons stopped moving, the whispers that they carried stumbling and quieting. They all got sucked back into the vase and then wind whipped at the room.

The daughter of Athena gasped for air as the wind tore through her, she braced herself up against one wall. Through her blowing hair, she saw Piper clutching Katoptris, her eyes watery with the strength and stinging of the wind.

Percy was on the ground, half conscious. Annabeth saw the wind ruffle his hair and goosebumps rise on his bare arms. What had happened to him? She could see no signs of injury on him but his hands gripped at his head as he whispered.

Everything stopped. It was like time was frozen. Nobody moved, even Annabeth didn't dare reach out to comfort Percy. The Kampe on the other side of the room gripped the skirt of her red dress to stop it from flying up but there was a grin on her lips as she stared at the vase with anticipation.

Then, the world started to move again. And, before any of them could gather their bearings, the vase splintered down the middle and the crack expanded and grew like a spider's web and the vase broke apart, sending shards everywhere.

Piper gasped and, on instinct, she, Annabeth and Nico dropped to the ground. Annabeth grasped at the ground, her fingers gripping nothing but air. She wanted to stand, she wanted to help Percy, she wanted to help her friends escape, she wanted to whack Gaea around her face and scream at her until her voice broke.

But Annabeth's bones shook and she could hardly open her eyes without wanting to fall apart like sand falling through fingers. What could she do? Fight against Gaea? Oh, what a fool she was to ever think that she could complete the quest! It was so much bigger than her, than all of them.

No. She must not think like that. She would fight and she would keep fighting to the very last beat of her heart. Annabeth stood with her blade gripped tightly in her hand and, slowly, raised her head. From the corner of her eye, she could see Piper and Nico do the same thing.

Gaea stood where the vase had once been. She was tall but had shrunk down from the usual size of the gods. She had long brown hair that had streaks of green, her skin was pale and her eyes changed from green to brown to hazel. Gaea wore a floor length, elegant green gown that whispered against the marble floor.

If Annabeth had never heard of Gaea, if she hadn't suffered at her hand, Annabeth might've thought that Gaea was beautiful, there was a sense of tranquillity that pulled you toward her like a magnet.

But Annabeth didn't buy her disguise. Gaea had a glint in her eye that made you wince, a smirk that was bold and daring and her posture screamed that she was ready for a battle at any moment.

The Kampe bowed to Gaea and she nodded. Her form flickered at the slight movement. Annabeth saw that Percy was still on the ground, Nico and Piper clutched their weapons with a white knuckle grip.

"Well," Gaea said, her voice stroking against Annabeth's mind. She started to descend the steps, her gown shifting and form flickering like a candle. "Looks like I have some explaining to do."


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter Nineteen

 **There is a chapter that I have been dying to write since I got this fanfic idea. It should come up next chapter or the one after that :)**

 **I apologize for any typos you might see (I'll edit them all out later). I have acrylic nails on which is making it quite hard to type, the programme I use to write keeps lagging and throwing me out, auto correct is not my best friend and I get distracted very easi-**

 **Hey, have you seen the Percy Jackson musical? I haven't and I can't see it :/**

 **FellowBookReader hahahaha, Gaea is a real bitch, huh?**

 **ImpossibleThings12 Awe, thanks and I know, I'll go stand in a corner**

 **Haha, I hope you all enjoy this chapter :)**

 **Love you all!**

 ***Virtual Hugs***

 **Ro x**

 **P.S Alone In The Shadows is now longer than Voices In His Mind (in word count) but Too Broken To Fix is still in the lead!**

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Gripping her dagger so tightly her fingers ached, Annabeth bit her lip to keep herself from screaming at Gaea and pounding her fists into her stupid face. From the floor, Percy groaned and winced. Annabeth looked to him and then back to Gaea with nothing but rage behind her eyes. "What did you do to him?" She growled.

Gaea stepped around Percy, not even bothering to spare him a glance. Annabeth curled her hands into fists and rubbed her teeth against her lip, bursting the skin as iron tasting blood spewed into her mouth.

The earth mother was so close to Annabeth. Too close. But Annabeth's pride was too strong to step back. Gaea's features twisted into an awful smirk that made icicles run down Annabeth's spine. "It is not what I have done to him." Liar. "It is what he has done to himself."

Annabeth felt her eye brows knit together in confusion. If there was anything that Annabeth loathed more than the twisted, riddled ways that the gods spoke in, she hadn't found it yet. Gaea leaned in closer to her, their breath sharing the small space in between them. "Nobody told him to drink that water."

This time, Annabeth couldn't contain herself. She glared. "Well you tricked him. You drugged him with the tranquilizer darts and dulled his senses, it wasn't his fault that the water - poison - was there and that he drunk it! You can't possibly blame someone for something that was just a set up." Her voice was growing louder, echoing throughout the room. "So I'll ask again: what did you do to him?"

At the end of Annabeth's angered rant, she was panting with her shoulders heaving. She shouldn't of lost her temper with Gaea, she might as well of just signed her death contract. But it was too late to turn back now.

She could feel everyone's eyes on her (except Percy, who was still struggling to stay conscious). Gaea kept that smirk on her face and moved away from Annabeth. "Your boyfriend, the so called 'hero' of Olympus, is experiencing the worst headache anyone has ever had. The good and bad and selfish and guilty and ruthless and cold part of him are battling for control. It is what the poison does as well as take his powers away."

Annabeth felt the breath knock out of her, she looked to Percy with a gasp. She couldn't even begin to imagine what was going through his head, she knew that Percy was extremely loyal and would never betray them all. But she also knew that, at certain times, Percy could have some very dark thoughts. "Why?" Annabeth choked out. "Why him?"

It was the question that had been burning in her mind since this all started six days ago. Gaea walked over to Piper and played with the feather in her hair. Annabeth saw Piper glare with those unusual coloured eyes. "Because," Gaea turned, her body flickering, "Percy has powers that could divide Olympus and cause a war. And with him on my side, I can't possibly lose."

The plan was so vague and not thought through properly at all. But a line of the prophecy flashed into Annabeth's mind like a torch lighting up the dark. Shall be used as a shield. "So," her expression of confusion was still on her face as well as her glare which was a terrifying mix, "you'd use him as a pawn? A shield for you in this war?"

If there would even be a war. But Annabeth knew how the diversity of the gods was quite large. She'd heard some of the ridiculous arguments that they had. "Precisely."

A pawn. A shield? Not a chance in hell would Annabeth ever let that happen. She gripped her dagger tighter and looked over to Nico and Piper. They were both in a mix between shock and anger and worry, not a good thing to be for people as powerful as them.

Nick looked at Annabeth. She could see his grip on his sword tighten with each word Gaea spoke and the ground around him trembled slightly as he struggled to contain the skeletons threatening to rise.

Piper also caught their gaze. She was afraid, Annabeth could see it in her eyes and posture. But there was a fire burning in Piper that would not let Gaea get away with this.

There was a fire burning in all of them, actually.

All three of them nodded - just the smallest dip of their head that showed that they acknowledged what was happening - and, with that confirmation and fire burning in their hearts, their souls, Annabeth, Nico and Piper fought for their lives, for Percy's life and for all the campers back at Camp Half-Blood. Because they were all a family in some crazy way.

And God's of Olympus, they'd do anything for family.

 **Woo! I hope that that answered most of your questions! But we still don't know how Percy is doing throughout all of this. Hmmm. Perhaps I should do something about that.**

 **Anyway, I hoped that you liked this chapter! Let me know what you thought :)**

 **I love you all!**

 ***Virtual Hugs***

 **Ro x**


	20. Chapter 20

Chapter Twenty

 **Woah, chapter twenty? When did that happen? Boy, time flies when you're having fun :)**

 **ImpossibleThings12 Haha, yeah she does. Thank you but I'm sorry to say that we won't be hearing from Percy for a few chapters. Oh.**

 **LizCraft Awe thank you! And I know, I'm not in the country either. Bah.**

 **Enjoy ;)**

 **I love you all!**

 ***Virtual Hugs***

 **Ro x**

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She wasn't too sure what happened after that. Annabeth flung herself at Gaea, her mind roaring and heart pounding. She clawed at Gaea's face with her dirty, broken nails and each time she came into contact with the earth mother, her form flickered and buzzed like the picture on an old television.

Behind her, Annabeth heard Nico attack the Kampe. She heard the growls of the monster and the sound of Nico's sword striking again and again in a never ending cycle of the deathly black blade.

But, Annabeth realised with a start, that no matter how hard they all tried, these monsters would never die. Not ever. They'd just go into Tartarus and come back however long a time later to fight another group of demigods. Perhaps a group just like theirs. Or maybe it would result in a death, maybe even two.

Next to her but it felt like years away, Annabeth heard Piper comfort Percy, charmspeaking to try and make him stand and fight. Annabeth wanted nothing more than to do the same thing, to give Percy the strength he needed to stand and fight.

Gaea hissed, "Wretched girl!" The words bought Annabeth back into the present, what was at hand. She couldn't go to Percy. Not yet, anyway. Annabeth would have to fight Gaea before she could do that.

A surprised scream tore through Annabeth's lips as Gaea gripped her wrists with uncanny strength. Annabeth gritted her teeth and wrapped her restrained hands around Gaea's neck, shaking her furiously changing image.

They wouldn't be able to kill Gaea, either. They could only put her back to sleep for a few hundred years until she was someone else's problem. If Percy were here, Annabeth pictured him making a dumb joke about not wanting to take care of an elderly grandma in a nursing home.

The thought made Annabeth grin just a little. The grin made Annabeth forget about where she was, who she was up against. _Fool._ She scolded herself. The grin made Annabeth weak for a second. But a single second was all Gaea needed.

This time, it was Gaea who wrapped her hands around Annabeth's throat. The daughter of Athena gasped at the amount of strength and force that Gaea had used. But as Annabeth gasped, Gaea pressed harder into her throat.

She struggled to breathe, Gaea's snarling face swirling in her vision. Annabeth blinked; she reached up a shaking hand and gripped Gaea's hands that were still wrapped around her neck. The earth mother, again, flickered.

Through the burning desire to breathe again, Annabeth's lips formed a word: Why? Maybe she was just stalling for time or maybe she just really wanted to know. Annabeth wanted to know why Gaea's form flickered like that.

Laughing, Gaea's eyes shone. But, as close as they were, Annabeth could see a hint of sadness behind them. "I do not yet have enough strength to take a proper form." Annabeth felt a smile working its way onto her face even though tears pricked her eyes as her vision tilted and blackened at the edges.

A weakness. Annabeth could use it to her advantage, however way that would be. Couldn't she? Annabeth tried to pry Gaea off of her but to no avail.

Suddenly, there was a flash of darkness and a yell. Annabeth barely had time to blink as Gaea was ruthlessly thrown off of her by a black sword, dripping with blood. _Nico._

Annabeth gulped down all the air she could get, grateful as it travelled down her throat. She looked behind Nico and saw the Kampe whose name she did not know on the ground and covered in blood and scratches, her red dress ripped in places and face in a state of pure terror. She was unconscious.

Gaea screamed in rage. Annabeth twirled her dagger in between her fingers and blew a strand of pale gold hair out of her face. It was starting to come loose from the stunning braids. "Thank you," she whispered to Nico. He nodded with a faint smile..

As Annabeth was about to run at Gaea and give her hell, the room started to shake. Annabeth braced herself and looked towards Gaea. An invisible wind was whipping back her clothes, her arms spread wide and face tilted in the air. Annabeth squinted in confusion.

Not a minute passed before the door opened and they poured into the room. There had to be at least twenty-five lions in the room, each one even bigger and more intimidating than the other. Their golden coats reflected the golden walls, two walked up to Gaea and stood by her sides.

Even in that small movement, Annabeth saw the powerful muscles underneath their fur shift and stretch. She gulped. Their paws looked to be the size of her face. There was no way that they could defeat all of them. _And_ Gaea.

Mixed in with the lions was Kampe. Exactly like the fallen one on the ground behind Nico, they didn't even spare her a glance. There had to be fifteen of them and, with all of them in the room together, there was barely enough room for a decent fight.

Before she could lose her nerve, Annabeth flung herself onto the back of a lion just as she had seen Piper do before back at camp. The lion roared and bucked like a horse, it sent Annabeth flying.

She hid a yelp with a growl as Annabeth stood and, because she was behind her, ran the tip of her dagger down Gaea's spine. Golden ichor spewed from the wound, Gaea's image flickering and fading again.

The earth mother screamed - in fury or pain, Annabeth didn't know though she hoped it was the latter - and a lion pounded towards the daughter of Athena.

Annabeth raised her dagger and glared, daring the animal to come closer. Before she even had the chance to see what was happening, the lion lifted its paw and drew three claws from Annabeth's shoulder to her elbow. In the same movement, Annabeth stabbed her dagger through its heart.

Blood ran down Annabeth's wound and pain stung the cut. It was deep, she could tell. Annabeth winced and fell against the wall, Piper yelled something out but she couldn't hear it. Everything sounded like it was underwater.

There was a loud bang. Annabeth heard Piper and Nico take in a gasp as the door swung open.


	21. Chapter 21

Chapter Twenty-One.

 _ **I'm sorry for such a late in the day update, I was editing Voices In His Mind most of the day and the edited version should be up sometime Sunday... Hopefully.**_

 _ **FellowBookReader Thank you so much! :D**_

 _ **LizCraft I really am sorry, haha. Thank you! :)**_

 _ **Strawberrygirl2000 Hehe, oops? You're welcome :) and 1) awe, thank you. 2) guilty! 3) Haha, don't worry, Annabeth will be back to her beautiful kickass self in no time :) 4) thanks! 5) oh, I forgot. Whoops, *reaches across table for food dye and ends up spilling milk* DAM! 6) Quick, let's get them out the oven. 7) Sadly not. There is no cure, let's grieve together. 8) hahahaha**_

 _ **Thrawn13 Haha, I hope you like this chapter :)**_

 _ **Now this is the chapter that I have been looking forward to writing (and the next one, of course).**_

 _ **I also have some news, Alone In The Shadows is now longer (in word count) than Too Broken To Fix! I have very mixed emotions, bah. It feels like I'm cheating on Too Broken To Fix, my first baby :/**_

 _ **Ah, I'll get over it.**_

 _ **Enjoy! :)**_

 _ **Love you all!**_

 _ ***Virtual Hugs***_

 _ **Ro x**_

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Through her hazy vision, Annabeth could see numerous figures standing in the door way. They were unable to get through because of the amount of lions and Kampe now inside the room. Well, now one less lion thanks to Annabeth and one less Kampe, thanks to Nico.

Annabeth's heart fell. It wouldn't of been anyone to come to their rescue. Everyone was back at camp and even if they had come, Annabeth had broken the rules. Wouldn't Chiron be furious with her? Maybe it was just more and more of Gaea's endless amount of lions and the Kampe that flocked her like sheep to a Sheppard.

The Kampe, Annabeth realised, would follow just about anyone and call them their master. They had with Kronos all those years ago and now they were doing the same thing to Gaea. But who was their original master? Their creator?

Surely the Kampe were created for a reason. Maybe to fight in a war that was long forgotten in the future's history. There had to be a million wars considering how long the world had lived, but only a few were still remembered.

But, as the door whined on its hinges, silence fell across the room like night across a sleeping city. Annabeth struggled to keep her eyes open and the pain throbbed in her arm, she pushed through it. Just for a little while, just to see for a second.

Piper was still hunched over Percy, worry evident on her face. Her forehead was beaded with sweat, her hair in disarray. Annabeth breathed heavily, her vision tilting momentarily. _Push through it,_ she demanded herself to do so. _You are in control, you are in control. Come on, Annabeth, you can do it._

The daughter of Aphrodite's clothes were torn, Annabeth flinched. It looked like a lion had drug its claws across her clothes, and it probably had done, but Annabeth saw no sign of blood. Katoptris was limp in her hand but the blade shined with crimson blood, swirling with gold ichor: a lion's blood.

Inhaling slowly because a movement too strong would send her into am endless spiral of agony, Annabeth looked around the room with a start.

Four lions lay on the ground, dead or whimpering. The Kampe that Nico had killed had dissolved into a pile of golden dust and two others were cradling limbs with fury and pain written on their face.

Gaea stood in the middle of the room, her arms still open and the two lions still at her sides. But her face was in a state of shock as if she couldn't quite comprehend how the three of them had done so much damage with no upper hand. She looked towards the door, her eyes burning with an anger so strong it was frightening.

As another round of pain threatened to sweep Annabeth off her feet, she lifted her head with gritted teeth. She wouldn't fall unconscious no matter how good an escape that would be. She'd fight for Percy, for Piper and Nico, to wipe that stupid smug smile off Gaea's face, for her family and for everyone back at camp.

When she looked towards the open doorway, Annabeth let out an unintelligible sound. A mix between shock and relief and love and fear and bravery and strength and pain. It was such a bittersweet moment.

Standing in the doorway, in front of her very eyes, was Jason Grace, Hazel Levesque, Frank Zhang, Leo Valdez, Thalia Grace, Travis and Connor Stoll, Katie Gardner, Clarisse La Rue, Reyna, Will, Ariel, the rest of the campers and, behind them all, was Chiron.

Annabeth felt tears prick her eyes. She heard Piper's surprised gasp and saw her restraining herself from running up to Jason and hugging him. It had been quite a long time since they'd last seen each other and Annabeth knew that he was dying to do the same thing.

They had come for them. They were going to be okay. There was no way that Gaea was going to get past all of them. No way in hell. Thalia, who had somehow managed to get away from the hunters of Artemis for just a while, had her silver bow strung over her shoulder. She looked fierce and ready for battle in her hunters uniform. Annabeth smiled.

At that moment, Annabeth didn't care about the pain coursing through her body. She didn't care about the blood that dripped from her wound and fell onto the golden floor, staining it. She didn't care that they were losing the fight.

All she cared about was that everyone was here. Everyone was alive. And that was enough for Annabeth to grab a hold of her knife and push herself off of the wall. She bit her lip to stifle a groan as the pain increased. She could push through it, for them, she would.

Annabeth didn't give herself time to falter, she pointed her dagger at Gaea and whispered every so slowly and quietly, "I am not afraid of you."

The room was silent enough for her words to bounce off the walls with a small echo; there was no fear in her words. None at all.

Annabeth spoke the truth, she wasn't afraid of Gaea. Not any more.

And that was when the silence shattered.

Everyone in the doorway broke into action: Hazel running to help Piper and using her magic to create a force field as they tried to wake Percy up, Frank and Thalia (both with their bow and arrows) starting shooting at anything, Nico and Will started fending off lions whilst Clarisse and all the other campers jumped into the fight. Chiron helped and threw off all the Kampes and lions that came close to Annabeth and Gaea.

The room was full of the clang of metal against metal, the rusty smell of blood coating the air. Gaea laughed, her form flickering slightly, "Oh, young daughter of Athena," Annabeth hid her flinch at the venom that flooded her words, "I should of killed you long ago."

Gaea and Annabeth both lunged for each other at the same time. Annabeth flung her knife into Gaea's shoulder and twisted, her form flickering wildly, the earth mother screamed and Annabeth withdrew her blade.

 _I won't give up, I refuse._

Another scream as a Kampe fell down. Another clash of metal against metal as swords groaned against each other. Gaea wiped a hand across her wound and sprung up ivy from the ground. The green vines swirled around Annabeth's ankles, caging her in.

 _We're gonna stand and fight forever._

Clarisse screamed in anger and flung herself onto the back of a lion like one of those bull things you saw at bars. Annabeth growled, her shoulder burning and eyes flashing with dark spots as she bent down and cut through the vines, back flipping away before Gaea could raise more.

 _Break their hold, because I won't be controlled._

An angered yell broke through Gaea's lips. Annabeth grinned and, as she walked away, she bumped into a Kampe. Her shoulder flared with pain and the Kampe grinned darkly, her face looking like death and terror in flesh.

 _This is how it feels when you take your life back._

Without missing a beat in this little dance, Annabeth grabbed the Kampe's shoulder with her uninjured arm and judo flipped her onto the ground. Once she was done, Annabeth kicked the Kampe in the heart and she dissolved into gold dust. Then she hurled herself at Gaea again.

 _I've got a hero living in me._

Whether Gaea was expecting her attack or not, Annabeth had the upper hand. Speed. In the back of her mind, Annabeth smelt smoke. Leo. Annabeth jumped onto Gaea's shoulders, forcing the pain of her arm far away, and, together, they tumbled onto the floor.

 _This is how it feels when you fight back._

Quickly, Annabeth scrambled away but Gaea was still getting her bearings. There was golden ichor on the ground when she moved, her hair matted with it. Gaea bared her teeth and ran towards Annabeth.

 _We're in the fight of our lives, and we're not ready to die._

Annabeth stifled her scream at the terrifying image of the earth mother running towards her, covered in both red and gold blood. She managed to dive out of the way just in time and, thankfully, Leo caught onto her plan.

And the room went up in flames.

 _A hero's going to save us just in time._

From wherever Hazel was, Annabeth immensely thankful for her. As soon as the stench of fire got larger, as the smoke got thicker, Hazel flung out her magic and, everyone expect the lions and Kampe and Gaea, got covered in a non flammable seal like a second skin.

 _We're not gonna die tonight._

 _ **I hoped you liked this chapter!**_

 _ **Next chapter we will hear from Percy because he has some explaining to do, doesn't he?**_

 _ **The lyrics are from Not Gonna Die, Skillet and Hero, Skillet. I do not own them.**_

 _ **Let me know what you thought! :D**_

 _ **Love you all!**_

 _ ***Virtual Hugs***_

 _ **Ro x**_


	22. Chapter 22

Chapter Twenty-Two.

 **LizCraft Awe, thank you so, so, so much!**

 **FellowBookReader Thank you! Haha, you'll find out either in this chapter, the next or the one after that ;)**

 **AnnaUnicorn Oh, thanks for pointing that out! I'll try my hardest not to make him like that but I do find his character quite complex and its always one of the harder ones to write. Sorry :)**

 **Strawberrygirl2000 Haha, thank you so much! Hehe, if I see him up close, you're going to have to drag me away ;) "Just one more autograph, see, I have room here!"**

 **Thrawn13 Thanks, I love Skillet though I've never been to one of their concerts before... :)**

 **PKwriter Hehe, thank you!**

 **Right, well I promised a Percy chapter so here you go!**

 **Enjoy! ;)**

 **Love you all!**

 ***Virtual Hugs***

 **Ro x**

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The thoughts going through his head at that moment? _Ow, ow, ow, shit, shit, ow, stop, Annabeth,_ and, the most frequent one, _what the hell is going on?_

He could hear the battle raging around him. If it even was a battle. Percy groaned as his head gave another sickening bang; through his headache, he could hear the clash and grunts and smell of rust and sweat that always came with a battle.

Another groan escaped his lips as the darkness around his grew even darker (if that were possible) and he thought he might of been sick. But Percy, through stubbornness and sheer pride, wouldn't throw up. Or, at least, he'd try his hardest.

At first, Percy had heard some vague hints of conversation. He had heard something above his pounding headache. Someone speaking, a girl, but there were too many girls in the room - Piper, Klea, Annabeth and the voice that the golden dust ribbons belonged to - and his aching head was too strong for him to be able to recognize the voice.

But it was strange. Percy wasn't sure what a normal headache was like (it wasn't like he had had a lot of them in the past), but the one that he had now was different. It felt different.

There were voices mixed in with the pounding of his head like a hammer constantly being dropped from an enormous height, picked up again and then dropped once more. Percy groaned again, everything felt so far away. He felt detached from his body, from his soul.

One of the voiced belonged to himself. It was his own voice, talking in ways Percy didn't understand, speaking words Percy didn't want to begin to comprehend. Another voice was also his own... only it wasn't, it couldn't of been.

It spoke of horrible, unspeakable things. It's voice was dark and deep and cruel and cold; it could maybe even intimidate Ares. Percy shivered every single time it spoke. And the things that it said were things that would never come from Percy's own tongue.

Though, however it was possible, the words had been Percy's. Only, they had been spoken with such malice, such darkness and evil it was uncanny. Saying things that Percy had never thought before, never wanted to think before. And never wanted to hear or speak of or think of ever again.

Another voice that spoke to him, perhaps the most fearful of them all, was a women. Percy had never heard her voice before. It was viscous and ruthless and soft and calm. But there were shadows in the words that covered the cruelty of them the same way shadows covered the ground.

Although Percy could never be too sure what, exactly, the voices were saying, he still had his guesses. And he knew that his guesses were not far away from the truth.

As the battle raged around him, Percy heard a scream. Wait - the room was buzzing. Through his headache, Percy could make out something. But it was something important.

The room was buzzing. And the smell of rusty blood was too strong for it to have belonged to just the few people who were in the room when Percy collapsed. That meant that there were more people in the room. Much more people than before.

Oh, no... a horrifying thought occurred to Percy. But no, no it couldn't be. Because if he was right (which he couldn't possibly be) then that meant that they were all here and by not being awake, by being cursed with this wretched headache meant that they were fighting alone.

It was Percy's worst fear coming true. He'd had many nightmares about his friends fighting for their lives whilst he could do nothing but stay there, stuck. And now it was coming true. Percy could do nothing. Unless...

There was another scream and a loud thud as someone else hit the floor. Percy could smell smoke. Lots of smoke. Fire. Leo. His mind went into overdrive. How could they survive fire? How could anyone survive the fire? Leo's mum hadn't, what was there to say that his friends would?

No. No. No. Percy and all of them had come too far for them to turn away from a petty little battle. They wouldn't give up, Percy would make sure that they wouldn't.

His head ached and, as he opened his eyes, his vision swam and, for once, swimming didn't comfort him. The world tilted this way and that and Percy could hear nothing but the roaring of flames. But, slowly, his eyes opened.

Smoke stung his eyes. It was thick and dense and dark, he choked, waiting for it to fill his lungs and suffocate him. But that feeling never came. Instead, Percy could breathe normally and there was a thin later of air around him like when he and Annabeth went swimming together.

Again, his head pounded and threatened to make him fall unconscious again. But he wouldn't. Not when his friends needed him. Percy wouldn't leave them like this, not if he could help it.

So, Percy suppressed the pain. And he forgot about the voices. And he stood with Riptide drawn out before anyone could even blink.


	23. Chapter 23

Chapter Twenty-Three

 **Ugh, I'm sorry for not updating in a few days. I was working on my not-a-fanfic story and I actually got the basic plot drafted out so it was well spent, even if I did leave you on a cliff hanger... :)**

 **PKwriter Thank you! :)**

 **LizCraft Awe, thank you so much! :)**

 **Thrawn13 Haha, thanks! :)**

 **FellowBookReader Yay! And thank you! :)**

 **Enjoy ;)**

 **Love you all!**

 ***Virtual Hugs***

 **Ro x**

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As he stood from the ground, Percy managed to get a good look at the room. Like he had thought, the room was covered in burning fire and smoke rose higher and higher, crawling up towards the ceilings and swirling like ink in water.

Flames weaved in between the smoke, dancing together. But... Percy wasn't choking in the thickness of the smoke; he could breathe and it was like when he was underwater. Percy could breathe and his skin wasn't burning or getting covered in soot like it should of done.

It was like there was a bubble around him, like when Percy and Annabeth were in that underwater bubble. He blushed fiercely, they'd kissed. But now really wasn't the right time to be thinking about that.

People were screaming. But Percy didn't recognize any of them. He looked around, uncapping Riptide so that the faint glow of the celestial bronze sword made it so that Percy could see through the fog.

All the campers (and Thalia and Chiron) were standing up. They had a sort of glow to them and, like Percy, they seemed to be able to breathe. But how was that possible? And the screams... who did they belong to?

No, Percy decided, they weren't screams. Screams didn't sound like that. They were muffled and groaning and whimpering like a wounded animal. Percy's head pounded but he pushed it away forcefully, now was not the time to fall unconscious again.

He stepped away from a golden monster. It had a bronze coat and large, beastly and clawed paws. Unconscious. Dead. Crimson blood poured out of numerous wounds and a gold coloured mane was matted with the stuff. Its fur was shaded in soot, clung to it like a second skin.

Lions. Percy thought back. Gaea had used lions. And that was where the screams were coming from, along with the Kampe in the room. They didn't have the protective bubble around them, for whatever reason. They were easy targets for the flames.

In the corner where Percy had once laid, he saw two figures. Two girls. And they both had the bubble around their skin. One had brown hair, a bloodied and dirtied feather hanging in between the curls. The other had dark, frizzy hair with golden streaks. Piper and Hazel.

Hazel. Percy's mind flashed. Hazel could control magic, she'd put this bubble around everyone except the lions, the Kampes and Gaea herself.

Percy's head pounded again, reminding him what to do, where he was. Looking away from Piper and Hazel, Percy saw Gaea with flailing arms as she screamed (in pain or terror or confusion or anger, he wasn't sure). Riptide burned in his hand, begging to be used.

Gathering all of his courage and remaining strength, Percy walked over to the earth mother. Each step was immensely calm and practiced and deadly. A grin took his face. A predator stalking its prey. Only, this time, Percy was sure that he was the predator.

Once he was close enough to Gaea, Percy pointed Riptide at her neck. "I am not afraid of you, Gaea." He looked around to see everyone's faces shocked. In what way, Percy didn't know. "You should know by now," and then he spoke the words that had been spoken to him since he joined Camp Half-Blood, the words that had haunted him for years of what they meant, of the strength he truly possessed, "the sea does not like to be restrained."

Gaea must of been so shocked and confused of what was happening, that she didn't even put up a fair fight. All it took was a slight movement, swiping Riptide right and cutting her head straight off.

And then, the strangest thing happened. A weight that Percy had never really thought about but now welcomed with open arms fell onto him. His powers.

At first, Percy relished in the feeling. He was back and nobody could stop him now. But then came the dark thoughts that came with them.

 _What if I lose control and hurt someone? What if I lose control and get kicked out of camp? What if I hurt Annabeth?_ He'd forgotten about the urge to use his powers in the week he'd been here.

He stumbled backwards, gasping for air as the powers threatened to consume him. Never had they been this strong before. The sea does not like to he restrained. The sea does not like to be restrained. All of the powers came heavily crashing down on him, crushing him.

Percy screamed and fell into the wall. He thrashed, trying to escape. From where, he didn't know. But Percy closed his eyes and let the darkness claim him.


	24. Chapter 24

Chapter Twenty-Four.

 _ **Oh, here I go. You know how upset I get when a story comes to an end. The next chapter is the last one and Alone In The Shadows is now, officially, the longest book I have ever written.**_

 _ **But I can swear on the River Styx that that will not remain. As I develop more and more as a writer and learn more, my stories will get longer. And there will be so many more to come.**_

 _ **Gerky Awe, thank you! :)**_

 _ **Thrawn13 Haha, thank you! :)**_

 _ **ImpossibleThings12 *Hands you a tissue* Thank you! :)**_

 _ **I know that I've said this before but I can't really say it enough. You are all extraordinary. You guys are like family to me and I can't remember a time when I didn't know you all. So thank you for all that you've done for me and thank you for making me smile and laugh.**_

 _ **Okay *wipes tears* phew, come on Ro, its not even the last chapter yet. Right, I hope you all enjoy :)**_

 _ **Love you all!**_

 _ ***Virtual Hugs***_

 _ **Ro x**_

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 _Wake up. Seaweed Brain stop being lazy, get up! Percy! Gods of Olympus, up!_

He knew that voice. He loved that voice. He cherished that voice even when it was scolding him. Like it was now. Percy groaned, a sick feeling entering his stomach.

 _Oh gods._ Percy cupped a hand over his mouth, sat bolt up right in bed, grabbed a trash can that was sat next to his bed (thankfully) and puked up the contents of his stomach. How that was possible, he wasn't sure. It wasn't like he'd eaten anything the past week.

A hand was rubbing his back, whispering comforting words that didn't really reach his ears. It was okay though, Annabeth had never been the comforting type. But they'd do anything for each other.

After a few minutes, Percy flopped back on the bed. _Wait_. A bed? Where were they?

Percy looked around, startled. The air smelt of disinfectant and freshly cut grass. A strange mix but Percy welcomed anything that wasn't the rusty, metal smell of Gaea's hideout. Sun shone through the windows, the bed he was on was soft and comforting.

Next to him was Annabeth. Percy turned to face her, pushing himself up with his elbows and the pillows behind him. She looked exhausted and scarred mentally and physically, but, to Percy, she'd never looked more perfect.

Her blonde hair had fallen out of the braids she'd had when they were at Gaea's hideout (Percy decided that that was what they'd call it now) and was now flowing freely, covered in blood and golden ichor and sweat. Knotted and matted together. Her normally tanned skin was now pale and bruised, a few shallow cuts here and there.

But what really caught Percy's eye, and what scared him more than he liked to admit, was the bandage wrapped around her arm. It went from her shoulder all the way to the crook of her elbow, wrapped around multiple times. Blood seeped through, dark and sticky. Annabeth winced slightly whenever she moved her arm too much.

Reaching out, Percy's fingers grazed the bandage. He barely touched her but Percy still saw pain flash behind her eyes whether she would admit it or not "Wise Girl, what happened?"

When he was stuck in that cell, Percy had never imagined himself getting to say _Wise Girl_ again. He'd, strangely, missed it. But now, Percy could say it as much as he wanted. And he'd never take such a small thing for granted again.

Annabeth shifted her weight in the chair that was sat next to his bed. "Don't worry about me, Seaweed Brain." She smiled. Big and vibrant and wonderful, Gaea had not defeated her. Gaea had not killed her fire. Percy wondered if anyone ever could. "I'm fine."

There were footsteps. Percy returned Annabeth's smile and sat even more upright in the bed. Will Solace cleared his throat. In the sun, he looked like Apollo, the sun God and his dad. He and Nico were a strange mix but, like Percy and Annabeth, they were meant to be together. Love was funny in that way.

"Percy," Will nodded, a smile playing on his lips. "You alright? When you returned, you looked pretty beat up." Percy looked down at himself and saw his skin covered in bruises. None would scar. Good. Gaea didn't deserve to be imprinted on his skin forever.

The son of the sea God shrugged and squeezed Annabeth's hand. "I'm good, thanks." He sighed deeply. "Would you mind telling me what happened?"

Will laughed and shook his head. "I don't really know." He admitted. "But, this," he gestured to Percy and the trash can, "is only for a day or two. The poison is still in your system so you won't truly be feeling yourself for a few days. Sorry."

Sighing heavily, Percy ran a hand through his hair. Of course. It was just his luck. "But, we do know that you defeated Gaea. Congratulations, Seaweed Brain, you're a hero." She counted on her fingers. "Three, maybe four times in a row."

He nodded. "But everyone else is okay?"

Both Annabeth and Will nodded back. Percy released a breath he hadn't realised that he was hiding.

Beside him, Annabeth gasped. "Oh! We solved the prophecy, too. With some help with everyone else who was here a while ago." She looked him up and down. "You still drool in your sleep, by the way."

A blush formed on his cheeks. But Percy didn't care about that. A prophecy? He hadn't realised that there even was a prophecy. His confusion must of shown on his face, "What was it?"

"Powers that are too great to wield,

Shall be used as a shield.

A hero must fall

And with him, so will all."

Percy shivered. He already had a fairly good guess at what the prophecy was. "Powers that are too great to wield," Annabeth said with confidence, "we guess was your powers. Shall be used as a shield, we actually got this before we even knew Gaea was behind it. It meant that you would be used as a pawn in the war to protect Gaea like a shield. A hero must fall, to make Gaea's plan work, you would have to fall. And with him, so will all means that we'd all fall to Gaea as well as you."

Oh. Percy blinked. Annabeth really did always figure everything out. He smiled slightly. Maybe, in the future, they'd wake up with nightmares from their time spent with Gaea but, for now, Percy had his Wise Girl.

And that was enough.


	25. Chapter 25

Chapter Twenty-five

 **I'm actually going to cry. I can't believe that this is the last chapter. Oh... *blows nose***

 **What can I say to you all except thank you? Honestly, without you all, I wouldn't be writing right now. And writing has made me meet all of you guys and I cannot even think about a life like that. Thank you.**

 **FellowBookReader Thank you! Oh, that's weird. Hmm :/**

 **ImpossibleThings12 awe, thank you so much! I tend to do that a lot, sorry. Haha, awe thank you, that means so much to me! :)**

 **Strawberrygirl2000 Haha, thank you! :)**

 **Thrawn13 I'm sorry, haha thank you! :)**

 **For the last time in Alone In The Shadows,**

 **I love you all!**

 ***Virtual Hugs***

 **Ro x**

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Annabeth smiled as Leo and Piper got into another one of their silly fights. This time it was about if Leo was cheating on playing cards or not. She shook her head slightly.

They were all in the Poseidon Cabin on a Saturday afternoon. Three weeks after the whole thing with Gaea and things could not of been better. All of them were sitting in a small circle on the ground, couples sitting next to each other. Percy had his arm resting comfortably across Annabeth's shoulders.

She looked at all of her friends in detail. Percy, Jason, Piper, Leo, Frank and Hazel. Each of them smiled and laughed without a care in the world and it warned her heart. It was times like these that Annabeth really treasured, where they were all just having fun and being kids.

Percy had bounced right back the day after he left the infirmary. But, then again, what did Annabeth expect of him? He was back to her grinning, joking and immensely sarcastic Seaweed Brain. And, though Annabeth teased him ceaselessly, she loved him for him.

Whilst they'd been captured by Gaea, apparently Jason had stopped acting... like Jason. He'd been stressed and worried about every little thing. But now, he was back to the leader. He was back to the Jason Grace that they all knew. It was hard to imagine him as anything else now.

Piper. Annabeth loved her in that way that only best friends truly understood. Piper hadn't fell apart whilst they'd been in Gaea's control and Annabeth admired her for that.

Leo hadn't known of much about Gaea or their kidnapping. But Annabeth knew that he'd felt distraught over starting that fire. He'd said that the lions hadn't been evil, they'd only been under the influence of Gaea. Annabeth also knew that he'd had to be reassured that, without him, they would never of gotten out.

Frank had helped immensely in the battle before the fire. Maybe it was because he was a son of Mars that he was good in a fight, maybe it was that war skill that only came from Mars but he'd been incredible. And he and Hazel had never been more adorable then how they'd been after everything with Gaea was sorted.

The two of them had ran into each other's arms and hugged and squeezed each other till they couldn't breathe. Percy had been unconscious for it all. It was the sweetest thing Annabeth had seen since Percy had gone missing.

Nobody had realised how strong Hazel's magic truly was. It hadn't even occurred to them that Annabeth could make just about anything happen with it. And with the tricks of the mist, the fact that she was a trained warrior, a daughter of Hades and the magic seemed almost impossible with how young and innocent she was.

It was strange to think that all of these idiots sitting around her and gone through the things that they had. They just seemed like ordinary kids but, really, they were so much more than that.

She knew how hard it was to be a demigod. How you never knew if you'd step away from a monster attack alive or dead. How your friends could die at any moment. How, if you slipped up, you'd have a God or Goddess to deal with.

Though, along the way, you met some pretty amazing people. Annabeth smiled and snuggled closer to Percy, her head resting where she knew was a scar. One of the many scars that Percy had acquired over the years.

But Annabeth loved every scar, every bruise, every cut, every freckle, every burn. She loved everyone's imperfections because it meant that these people before her and gone out into the world and lived and these marks on their skin were proof of that. And she thought that that was something pretty special.

 **Well, it wasn't the best ending chapter in the world. I'm sorry, guys.**

 **But OHMIGOD I AM DEAD. WE DID IT! I actually cannot believe that we have conquered another fanfiction. Wow.**

 **You guys are incredible. Period. If anyone ever tells you anything other than then fact that you are perfect and beautiful and special, tell them to come to me. You guys make my day, you make me laugh and, physically, I cannot express how much I love you guys. Seriously.**

 **I love you all so, so much. And I cannot wait to see what the future holds for us all. But I know one thing, it will be amazing.**

 **Ro x**

 **"If you have the strength to dream it, you have the strength to do it."**


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